Get Back the Sacred Jewel
by aoi kodomo
Summary: The Getbackers finally get their hands on a mission they can really sink their teeth into. However, when the spiritual world starts to cross with reality, will the duo be able to tell the difference between what’s real and what’s not?
1. Prologue: The Assignment

**Based on the story:** _Getbackers_

**Written by:** aoi kodomo

**Full Summary:** The Getbackers finally get their hands on a mission they can really sink their teeth into. However, when the spiritual world starts to cross with reality, will the duo be able to tell the difference between what's real and what's not? Does the ability to communicate with the dead really exist?

**Author's Note:** All characters of _Getbackers_ are copyright to Rando Ayamine and Yuya Aoki. Any additional characters are copyright to me.

**Rating:** T

* * *

**Get Back the Sacred Jewel**

**Prologue:** The Assignment

* * *

_Spirits … Ghosts … Devils … Angels …_

_Do they really exist?_

_When the soul of a person dies, does that soul truly leave this world? Do they continue to walk the streets of humans? Weaving their way through the land of the living, waiting, longing, searching … for a path to get out? Are they trapped? Doomed to remain a lost soul?_

_Do they have unfinished business? Justice? Revenge?_

_When a substance of the spiritual world and the real world cross … could this be a good thing? Those able to commute with ghosts … are they blessed … or are they cursed?_

_No. Don't answer. You don't know, do you?_

_Think about it … you may have a change of heart once this tale is over …_

* * *

"This is the address?" Ginji compared the number on his bit of paper to the gold-plated one on the outside of the gate. "Are you sure Miss Hevn didn't make a mistake?"

"No mistake." Ban grabbed a cigarette from his shirt pocket and lit up. "Posh geezers sure know how to make an impression, though."

"It's kind of eerie … don't you think?"

"It's work, Ginji. Don't be such a wimp."

"But look at it! There's a huge dark cloud hanging over the entire building!"

Ban frowned, glancing sideways as he spoke. "I wonder … could that be the weather?"

"There's probably a scary butler at the door."

"Of course there's a butler. Sure have the cash to afford one. Now go press the buzzer, Ginji."

Ginji pouted. "Aww man, do I have to?"

"Don't be such a scaredy-cat! Get out and push the buzzer!"

"But Ban ... the buzzer's on _your_ side!"

Ban's voice came out a low growl. "_Gin … ji_ …"

"Alright! Alright!" Ginji reluctantly got out of the car and walked over to the intercom on the left side of the gate. He hesitated a second before pressing the button firmly. He waited, taking in his surroundings while he listened out for a reply.

The driveway went up a zigzag slope towards the huge property. Ginji had seen a fair share of mansions but this one looked so _old_. Nothing like the modern ones he'd glimpsed at before. It screamed out for a makeover. The garden was overgrown, the outside of the windows rusty, and not a single sign of life could be seen.

"Ginji … what are you waiting for?"

Ginji turned to face Ban. "Not sure … a deep voice to say, '_Enter_'?

Ban tutted. "You've been watching too many horror movies."

"You make me watch them!"

"It was my turn to pick the movie that night! Get over it!"

"You had to pick the scariest one in the store!" Ginji moaned. "I've never been so afraid in all my –!"

"_Yeess_?"

"_Gaaaaahhh_!" Ginji jumped a foot from the intercom. He blinked, then leant forward and tapped the device cautiously. "Um, hello? We're here to see a Mr. Sakamuru?"

"_I see … of course. Mr. Sakamuru is expecting you. Please, come on through. You will be greeted properly at the front door_."

"Err, thanks." Ginji got back in the car and turned to Ban. "See? A scary voice. It hissed at me! Y'know? '_Yeess_'?"

"It's just static from the intercom." Ban watched as the gates started to creek open, the hinges screeching for oil. He started to edge the Ladybug up the long driveway. "From the looks of it, this whole place could do with a tune-up." He parked besides some cracked stone steps, turned off the engine and got out. The steps led up to two huge wooden doors, splintered and blackened over time.

"Check it out. Looks like the owners kept the original features." Ban made his way up to the front door. He rubbed a hand over the ancient wood, careful not to graze his skin. "Definitely worth a few bucks on the market, huh Ginji? … Ginji!"

Ban growled. He walked around the other side of the car where Ginji was cowering, grabbed his wrist in a death grip and dragged him to the front entrance. "I'm not backing out of this assignment just because you're _scared_!"

"I'm not scared!" Ginji tried to tug his arm free. "But I suddenly remembered these scenes from a movie … scary mansion … spooky voice … the main characters always die!"

"Don't be superstitious!"

"I'm not!" Ginji shook his head. "Never mind, let's go! I can live on water for another week. I'm too young to die in a place like this!"

He gave his arm another tug, but Ban held his grip tight.

"Oh no you don't! I haven't had a decent meal in weeks! We're going!" Ban rapped his knuckles on the door, stepped back and waited.

"You can have my half of the payment." Ginji patted Ban's shoulder repeatedly. "That's fair."

"You're doing this assignment with me whether you like it or not."

"But Baaaan –!"

"Don't _but_ me!"

"I don't like this assignment!"

"We haven't even started it yet!"

"I've got a horrible feeling! My skin feels all tingly!"

"_My skin feels all tingly_." Ban mimicked. "You've got electric currents flowing through your body, you fool! Of course your skin feels tingly!"

"The Getbackers, I presume?"

"_Gaaaaah_!"

Ginji stumbled back, his eyes widening. He looked at the pale-faced man standing in the open doorway, his stance motionless and a blank expression shadowing his face. But what surprised Ginji more was Ban's look. He'd been so caught off-guard by the sudden appearance he'd given him an electric shock. Ban eyes narrowed at him now. Ginji could see the remains of smoke coming off his hair and clothes.

"Gin …_ ji_ …"

"Eh heh heh." Ginji rubbed the back of his neck nervously. Luckily, before he could start apologizing furiously, the man spoke.

"Welcome, Getbackers." He bowed politely. "My name is Hajime Matsumoto. I am Mr. Sakamuru's assistant. Please, would you step this way?"

The duo followed him inside, greeted by a wide stairway that split suddenly halfway, leading up to another floor. Above them the ceiling went to as far as the eye could see, carved with original Victorian-like features at the top. Two corridors went off in both directions on the bottom floor, each lined with many doors, all closed. Ban suspected that each room was just as impressive as the main entrance. He couldn't see all the way to the upper floors, but from the outside the mansion had 3 floors, 4 if you counted the attic/roof, so another staircase would have to be on the first floor.

"Please wait here a moment," Mr. Matsumoto said. "I will tell Mr. Sakamuru that you have arrived."

"Sure." Ban's eyes followed him as he walked away. He turned back to Ginji, seeming like a lost puppy in such a huge place. "You wouldn't have thought someone like you grew up in the Limitless Fortress with the way you're acting."

"The Limitless Fortress is more open," Ginji replied. "This is … so dark and small in comparison."

Ban smiled. "Only you could make _that_ comparison." He grabbed a cigarette from his shirt pocket.

"Please refrain from smoking in here," a voice spoke softly. "I'm afraid second-hand smoke does not do an old man's lungs any good."

Ban kept the cigarette in his mouth anyway. "Don't rich old guys smoke cigars?"

"My boy, this rich old guy gave up years ago." A man appeared on Ban's left, emerging from the dark corridor slowly. He carried himself gracefully, his hands clasped behind his back, however had the essence of someone who had lived many years and had seen many things in life. His eyes were dark, but glinted with kindness. They crinkled when he smiled. His dress sense was casual, a red cashmere sweater, smartly pressed trousers and shoes so shiny they reflected what little light shone from above.

"A pleasure to meet you," he said, running a hand through salt-and-pepper hair. He held a hand out to Ban. "I am Kentaro Sakamuru, the owner of this mansion. You would be?"

Ban grasped his hand and shook it firmly. "My name is Ban Midou. I assume Hevn told you about us?"

"So she did," Mr. Sakamuru smiled. "So then … you would be Ginji Amano, am I correct?"

Ginji nodded and held out his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Sakamuru."

"What polite boys you are," Mr. Sakamuru chuckled. "Very different from what I imagined. Miss Hevn warned me that you were a couple of imbeciles. She told me not to let my guard down. I must admit I was expecting the worse after hearing that."

Ginji blinked.

Ban felt his brow furrow. "She said that, did she?" _That two-faced BITCH_!

"Sure did," Sakamuru replied. He rubbed the back of his neck self-consciously. "Now, what was that other thing she mentioned … something about not making direct eye contact? Apparently one of you had a nervous twitch? Or a tick?" He suddenly pointed at Ban. "Yes, she said it was definitely you, the dark-haired one. She told me you were born with a twitch in your eye and didn't like to make eye contact."

Ban could feel his forehead creasing more. "Huh … is that so?" _You just wait, you wench!_

"Actually, I'm afraid Miss Hevn's got it wrong." Ginji put a hand on Ban's shoulder. "My buddy Ban has nothing like that!" _Please don't say any more_!

Mr. Sakamuru smiled. "No, I didn't think he had. Two fine boys your age should be the picture of perfect health. Now, if you would kindly follow me?"

He led them down the left corridor, turning right into the first room.

"I swear, when I'm done here, I'm gonna find that evil witch and cut off that precious hair of hers!" Ban hissed, his fingers flexing into a fist. "_Nervous twitch_, huh? I'll show her nervous twitch!"

"Maybe Miss Hevn had a hard job telling Mr. Sakamuru about the Jagan?" Ginji whispered. "You do have to make eye contact after –"

"My eyes do not _twitch_!" Ban snapped. "You just wait! I'll _twitch_ her little neck, and then I'll _twitch_ her little arm, then –"

Ban stopped just as he turned into the room.

Ginji could see he was mentally thinking the rest of the sentence. He smiled, knowing Ban would never carry out such cruel intentions on Miss Hevn.

"Please have a seat." Mr. Sakamuru gestured to the large couch nearest the wall. Just one glance around the room indicated that it was used as a reception room. The furniture was clean, but old fashioned, with 2 small couches and a coffee table in the centre of the room. The curtains were drawn, the chandelier from the ceiling providing the only light.

"Pretty fancy," Ban said. He lifted the loose cigarette in his hand. "Can I smoke this now?"

Mr. Sakamuru nodded.

Ban made no hesitation lighting up. He took a long drag, tilting his head upwards as he blew out the excess smoke.

Mr. Sakamuru watched him carefully. "Would you care for a drink?"

"As long as it's not poison," Ginji muttered.

Ban nudged him hard.

"Nothing for me, thanks!" Ginji blurted, rubbing the side of his stomach.

"I'll pass," Ban said. "Shall we cut to the chase, then? We haven't come all the way from Shinjuku for free drinks. What is your assignment, Mr. Sakamuru?"

"Indeed." Mr. Sakamuru retrieved a piece of paper from his trouser pocket. "I would like you to get this back for me."

Ban grabbed the paper and turned it over.

"Oh, look!" Ginji exclaimed. "It's a rock!"

Ban whacked him in the face.

"Oww! Baaaan!"

"It's not a rock, you dolt!"

"Precisely," Mr. Sakamuru injected with a chuckle. "It's a rare jewel. Stunning, is it not? The beautiful shade of red would be worth 5 million yen alone."

Ban studied the picture more closely. The stone was barely the sized of a kid's marble. It curved in a perfect circle, with darker shades of red woven through the center, giving off the illusion that it wasn't so round. To find such a rare jewel would send the price value sky high. To _look_ for such a rare jewel would be a difficult task in itself.

"I should tell you," Ban warned. "We won't be hired for stealing."

"I've always been an honest man, Ban Midou," Mr. Sakamuru replied. "I can assure you with all my honesty that this particular jewel belongs to me legally."

"Wow, so it's yours?" Ginji took the picture to get a better look. "I've never seen a jewel like this before. Is it a family heirloom?"

Mr. Sakamuru nodded. "It was passed on from my grandfather to my father. When my father wrote his will, he said specifically that this stone would be given to me. However, my father died a year ago from an unknown illness, and although the will clearly states that it belongs to me, he never told me where he kept it."

"Why's that?" Ginji gave the picture back.

"I wish I knew," Mr. Sakamuru smiled. "My guess is that my father wanted to wait until the right time to tell me. Unfortunately now that opportunity will never come."

Ban frowned. "Where have you searched?"

"I've searched everywhere I could think of," Mr. Sakamuru answered. "This mansion was also passed on to me. Obviously I've searched every nook and cranny of this place, but as of yet I've not been able to find anything."

"Maybe this place has a secret room or a safe behind a picture or wall?" Ginji suggested.

"Believe me, son, I've looked. I'm sure one option would be to rip the walls apart, but I'd rather not resort to such measures. I heard about you from a run-in with Miss Hevn. She spoke very highly of you. Two pairs of eyes are better than my old ones, I reasoned. And here we sit."

Ban shrugged. "I hope Hevn told you that we aren't cheap."

Mr. Sakamuru laughed. "That won't be an issue. I'm willing to pay you 3 million yen. Also, I expect you would need to search this mansion thoroughly, so to save the travel from Shinjuku, you are most welcome to stay here. I have many rooms vacant. Would this suffice?"

Ban turned to Ginji. His partner's expression remained neutral and nothing in his face said he _wouldn't_ do it, but Ban could see a slight hesitation in his eyes. He patted Ginji's shoulder, gesturing for him to stand up.

"We'll get back to you," Ban said, getting up also. "Is that all?"

Mr. Sakamuru rose from his seat. "Yes, that is all. Thank you so much for your time."

"We'll show ourselves out. Thank you, Mr. Sakamuru. We'll consider the assignment carefully."

* * *

**Prologue End**

**To Be Continued In Chapter One**

* * *

**Author's Note:** Apologies if the prologue is long … it's longer than I planned but that's fine. Thank you for your time. 


	2. Chapter 1: The First Day

**Based on the story:** _Getbackers_

**Written by:** aoi kodomo

**Full Summary:** The Getbackers finally get their hands on a mission they can really sink their teeth into. However, when the spiritual world starts to cross with reality, will the duo be able to tell the difference between what's real and what's not? Does the ability to communicate with the dead really exist?

**Author's Note:** All characters of _Getbackers_ are copyright to Rando Ayamine and Yuya Aoki. Any additional characters are copyright to me.

**Rating:** T

* * *

**Get Back the Sacred Jewel**

**Chapter One:** The First Day

* * *

The following morning found the duo back in front of the Sakamuru mansion. 

A fine drizzle began to fall upon Ban's Ladybug, creating a damp and dark image in the recess of Ginji's mind. He blinked, before turning to face Ban.

Ban reached for a cigarette from the glove compartment. He glanced sideways at Ginji.

"What?"

Ginji felt an uneasiness rise in the pit of his stomach. "Maybe we should give this job to Shido?"

"And let him walk away with 3 million yen?" Ban placed the cigarette in the corner of his mouth and lit up. "No thank you."

Ginji sighed.

"Why don't you want to do this assignment?"

"It's not the assignment," Ginji insisted. "It's this place … I get a funny feeling when I'm near it. It feels dangerous."

"When are any of our assignments safe?" Ban reasoned. He poked Ginji's forehead. "You're being paranoid."

"Do we have to stay here?"

"We've got no choice, Ginji. We can't afford to stay anywhere else. Besides, if the jewel _is_ in this mansion, searching for it will make our job a whole lot easier. In a place this size I doubt the hospitality will be unpleasant."

Ginji took in all the windows and floors from the outside. "What if I get lost?"

"You'd get lost in a clothes store," Ban deadpanned. "Now go press the buzzer."

"_Wha_ - ! Why me? I pressed it the first time!"

"So go press it again!"

"But Baan! It's raining!"

"I'm not going out there. My cigarette will get wet."

Ginji pouted. "Just like you to think about your cigarettes before me."

"… Don't make me hurt you."

* * *

"This will be your room, Mr. Midou. If you require anything, please do not hesitate to ask." Mr. Matsumoto bowed. "Would you like me to bring you an extra blanket? The nights get cold in this old building." 

"No, it's fine," Ban replied. "Although perhaps you can help me get this _thing_ off my back?" He turned around to show Hajime the blonde 'thing' clinging to his shirt. As soon as Ginji had pressed the buzzer outside, the rain suddenly began to pour, which, in Ginji's current state, instantly created a bad 'omen'.

Hajime chuckled. "If you prefer, it would be perfectly fine if you two shared a room."

Ginji perked his head up. "Really?"

Ban literally threw him across the room. "No way! I'm not babysitting you!"

"Baan … how can you be so cruel?" Ginji's eyes started to water.

"Oh no! Those waterworks won't work on me!" Ban grabbed Ginji by his jacket and pulled him towards the door, ignoring Ginji's constant 'ow ow ow!' "How pathetic! We're professionals! You can at least stay in a room by yourself!"

Mr. Matsumoto smiled. "Mr. Amano, please relax. Your room is directly opposite your partner's."

Ginji sniffed. "But what if I have to go to the bathroom? I'll get lost!"

"Each room is provided with an en suite, Mr. Amano."

"But I –"

"It'll be fine, Ginji." Ban released him and patted his shoulder. "I'm a door's length away. Nothing will happen, I promise."

Ginji sighed, giving in.

Mr. Matsumoto bowed. "Very well, I shall leave you two to your assignment. Lunch will be served in the dining hall at 12.00. Mr. Sakamuru would be most appreciative if you would join him." He bowed a second time before leaving the room.

Ban looked at the ancient clock ticking away on the nightstand. 09.56.

"Okay. That gives us a good 2 hours to start searching. Let's go Ginji … Ginji!"

Ginji had already spread-eagled himself on the enormous bed. "Wow! This room is huge! I hope my bed is as big as this!"

Ban cocked an eyebrow at him. "You sure change heart easily. I thought you were scared to sleep in a room by yourself?"

Ginji rested an arm across his forehead and smiled. "You're a door's length away so I guess it's cool."

Ban smiled. "That's true …"

Ginji nodded.

"… It means I can hear your screams from a closer distance."

"_What_?!"

* * *

More than an hour later almost half the ground floor of the mansion had been thoroughly searched. The lower floor itself had 3 reception rooms, an entrance hall, a dining hall, a drawing room, a library, a kitchen, a bathroom, a seating area, an office and a conservatory that led out to the back garden. The Getbackers had covered the 3 reception rooms, empty except for the odd chair or sofa here and there, the entrance hall and the bathroom. Neither room indicted a secret hiding spot, although the option to search beyond the old floorboards and walls hadn't occurred to them yet. Before they could tear the place apart, they had to search every little inch of the rooms as much as possible. 

The library was musty, as though no one used it. What little light provided came from a small gap between the huge curtains. The _pit pat pit pat_ from the rain outside created the only sound. Floor-to-ceiling shelves covered every space available, each one crammed full of books. In the middle of the room sat an oak desk, the surface layered with a thin sheet of dust.

Ban stood beside the desk and ran his finger along the surface. He wrote a 'B' through the dust before blowing the excess off his fingertip. "A clean wouldn't go amiss."

Ginji moved over to the window and drew the curtain back. "You can see up to the front gates from here. Do you think Mr. Sakamuru ever comes in here?"

"He said the mansion was passed down to him," Ban recalled. "If his father used this place before him, perhaps some rooms give an 'off limit' feeling. This room hasn't been occupied for months, you can tell by the stuffiness and musty scent. Even if Mr. Sakamuru _did_ search everywhere, including in here, I wouldn't put it pass him if he missed the most obvious bits."

"Like what?"

"Like searching inside the books individually … if you look inside the shelves, the books haven't been moved at all. The dust has fallen on everything. You'd be able to tell instantly if someone had moved something."

Ginji dropped the curtain. "It's sad … Mr. Sakamuru didn't say anything about a family, and besides Mr. Matsumoto, it looks like he lives alone. In a huge place like this I bet it can get pretty lonely."

"Perhaps," Ban said, picking up a book and blowing off the dust. "But we don't know his history so we can't jump to that conclusion."

"I wouldn't know … how it would feel … to lose a father …" Ginji thought about Mr. Teshimine, the closest to a father figure he had. If he were to suddenly disappear, how would he feel? It didn't bear thinking about.

Ban tapped Ginji's shoulder with the book. He knew what he was thinking. "Don't say such depressing things." He rested the book so it balanced on Ginji's head. "Help me search through all these books."

Ban turned away and began rummaging on the shelves nearest the window. He started pulling the books off the lowest shelf and piling them onto the floor. He sat down, ignoring all the dust, and took a book at a time, flickering through every page before putting the book back in its original place.

Ginji took the book off his head and peered at the cover, thinking. If something precious were passed on to him, where would he put it? Would he hide it inside a book? If the pages were cut out, a small jewel could easily be hidden there.

But no, that was too easy, too easy for someone to figure out. Such a simple hiding place is something a child could conjure up. The jewel they were looking for definitely was _not_ in a book.

Ginji didn't point this out, because he knew Ban knew this.

Instead he sat down, grabbed a book, and started searching through the pages.

* * *

They had barely searched a bookshelf each when Mr. Sakamuru entered the room, looking very out of place in such a dusty environment wearing neatly pressed trousers and a green polo-neck t-shirt. 

"Lunch will be served shortly," he said. "Would you boys care to join me?"

Ginji stood up. He tried to brush off his shorts but they were so coated in dust it didn't help. "I, err … may need to shower first."

Mr. Sakamuru smiled. "Please go ahead. There is a basket provided in each of your rooms. If you leave your clothes in there, Mr. Matsumoto will wash them for you. Additionally I have placed robes on your beds also."

"Thanks." Ginji turned to Ban. "Are you coming, Ban?"

Ban nodded, flicking through the last book from the shelf he had been working on. He closed it firmly, sending a cloud of dust flying towards his face. He coughed suddenly as the substance drifted towards his airways.

"Oh my," Mr. Sakamuru patted his back heartedly. "Would you like me to get this room cleaned up before you continue your search?"

"No," Ban replied quickly. "Everything in this room stays where it is, including all the dust."

A look of concern passed Mr. Sakamuru's face. "If you insist, although it's unhealthy to stay shut in a room like this. Neither of you are asthmatic, I hope?"

They both shook their heads.

"Thank goodness. I'd hate to take responsibility if you fell ill. Well then, I shall ask Mr. Matsumoto to serve lunch at half 12.00 to give you boys time to clean yourselves up. If you need anything, please do not hesitate to ask me."

* * *

As they walked to their rooms to shower, Ginji couldn't help but think how Mr. Sakamuru ended up living in a place so … abandoned. He knew he had inherited the mansion, but besides his father, who owned it before? Had it been passed down from generation to generation? Did a huge family live in it previously? As a family home, Ginji could almost feel the love that would have gone into this house. Did Mr. Sakamuru have a family? Had he been married? Did he have kids? 

These were questions Ginji so desperately wanted to ask, but felt rude to do so.

Ban grabbed his arm suddenly. "Your room's there."

"Eh heh," Ginji laughed, rubbing the back of his head. He was inches away from the wall he'd just been about to walk into. He'd gone straight past his room.

Ban smiled. "Geez, you can be such a dolt sometimes."

Ginji pouted. "I am not."

"You keep losing your cool like that and you'll get lost."

"I don't always get lost!"

"Just try not to loose your focus."

"I won't." Ginji back-tracked to his room and pulled the handle. The door didn't budge. He frowned. He pulled it again. It didn't move. He pulled it again. It still didn't move. He grabbed the handle with both hands and pulled. Again it didn't move. Ginji could feel the annoyance tickling his temples. Sparks began to crackle around his fingers.

"Yo, doofus. Look." Ban stood against his own door and pushed. It opened easily.

"Heh, I knew that." Ginji pushed the door open. Before he walked in he threw the smallest electrical attack over his shoulder. He quickly locked his door just as he heard Ban shout.

* * *

Ginji felt instantly uncomfortable in a room on his own. He had a huge four-poster bed to himself, a nightstand, a chair and footrest, a wardrobe, a bathroom and a beautiful opened-up window area that led out to a small balcony, but the room itself gave off a 'cold' feeling. 

However, he shook it off to an over-active imagination, and peered out the window.

The rain still continued to plummet, but through the sheet of water he could see the back garden. He spotted a huge tree, bare except for a swing that hung loosely from it. Next to it stood a small table, a puddle of rain settled on top. A chair lay on its back a little further away. Towards the back of the garden he saw a swimming pool, covered up but fairly large in size. Some of the tiles around it were cracked and worn.

Ginji opened the window slightly. He could hear the rain pounding against the balcony and the faint whistle of wind. The swing rocked slowly from the tree branch, giving off the illusion that someone was sitting on it. Ginji shuddered.

_Creepy_.

He stared at the swing, transfixed. Back and forth it went. The formation was so perfect it seemed almost unnatural to move like that. The wind didn't appear that strong.

Ginji closed the window and yanked the curtain across. He turned all the lights on in the room and walked into the bathroom, leaving the door open.

Outside the swing stopped moving.

* * *

"How do you boys like your rooms?" Mr. Sakamuru asked when they were finally seated in the dining hall. 

"They're fine," Ban replied. "Needless to say you have a nice place."

"Does your room have the balcony, Mr. Midou?"

"No, mine looks out onto the front gates."

"Ah, so Mr. Amano here has the balcony." Mr. Sakamuru smiled. "Lucky. It may not seem much now but the view from that room is exceptionally stunning come summertime."

Ginji munched on some rice thoughtfully. _Lucky? Is he serious?_

"Once the tree is in full bloom it creates a beautiful array of cherry blossoms. Such a shame we're not in the season to see it."

"I saw a swing hanging from that tree," Ginji said. "Did you put that there?"

"That swing has been there for as long as I can remember," Mr. Sakamuru said. "Even as a young boy I used to play on it. I have fond memories climbing that tree. Adventurous little thing, I was."

"Have you lived here all your life?" Ginji asked.

"No. I suppose you could say I've lived in Japan all my life, but not in this particular residence. Before I inherited this property I lived in an apartment in the center of Shinjuku."

"Do you plan on staying here?"

Mr. Sakamuru smiled. "I wonder … I suppose I could."

_Suppose_? Ginji wanted to press on this further but remained silent.

"Must be nice," Ban said, "having a place like this left in a will. Family inheritance must ensure a luxurious life from the beginning."

"That is not always the case," Mr. Sakamuru replied. "Take my advice, boys, life won't always turn out how you expect it."

"That depends on what kind of life it is," Ban said. He pushed his chair away from the table and stood up. "I'm done here. Thanks for the meal. If you'll excuse me, we have more searching to do."

"Of course," Mr. Sakamuru excused himself. "If you need me, I will be in the drawing room."

When he left, Ginji turned to Ban. "Do you think something happened to him?"

Ban shrugged, pushing his glasses further up his nose. "Who knows? Although it's pretty obvious he's hit a few bumps in the road. Come on, Ginji, we've still got loads to do."

"Ban … the back garden …"

"What about it?"

"Could we go look at it?"

"Ginji, it's pouring with rain. I'd rather not search the outside until it's actually dry out."

"Please."

Ban frowned. He'd known Ginji long enough to know when he was serious. He sighed, caving in. "Fine. I'll go ask Mr. Matsumoto for an umbrella."

* * *

Donned with a mammoth-sized umbrella and coats Mr. Matsumoto _insisted_ they wore, Ban and Ginji stepped outside into the pouring rain. Ban held the umbrella in one hand, a cigarette in the other, and kept a step just behind Ginji so he was still protected from the rain. He let Ginji lead them down the back path and followed silently in his footsteps. 

Ginji stopped beside the cherry blossom tree and Ban used that opportunity to light his cigarette. He inhaled deeply, relishing his second cigarette to be smoked that day.

Ginji ran a hand over the small swing and moved it slightly. They watched it rock a little without making a sound. Two strong ropes kept it attached to the branch and the wood had been carved into a slight bend to accumulate whoever sat on it.

"Looks like good handiwork," Ban said, rubbing his hand over the smooth wood. "It's been carefully sanded, despite wearing out over time." He gave the rope a tug. "It would hold an adult, too."

Ginji stood with his back to the swing and looked up towards the mansion. Which one was his room? He scanned the first floor and spotted his window with the curtains drawn.

"Is that your room?" Ban asked. "The second window from the right?"

"Yeah, I can see a good bit of the garden from there." Ginji pointed. "Including the pool."

Ban dropped his cigarette and lit another. "Let's check out the pool."

He gave Ginji the umbrella to hold onto and examined the crack tiles. Some had worn over time from the weather. Ban lifted one up. Underneath was nothing but weed growth and a few bugs.

He walked over to the pool and lifted a corner of the cover. It was deep but empty. The only water resting at the bottom was what little of the rain had seeped in. The inside was newly tiled and, despite the odd dead leaf, it was clean.

Ginji looked around. What bit of the garden he hadn't been able to see from his room had a large shed and an overgrown area of grass. From where he stood he could see a rusted padlock on the shed. He walked over to the padlock and gave it a tug. It hadn't been used in a long time.

He moved around the side and peered through a small window there. Inside he could make out a tricycle, a scooter, a soccer ball, a toy car, a bat and an odd ball here and there. He couldn't see the other half of the shed.

_What's that_? Ginji pressed himself closer to the window and narrowed his eyes. He could make out something leaning beside the door.

A hand suddenly slammed against the wood near his head.

Ginji jumped, startled.

"Geez, you're not very good at holding the umbrella, are you? I turn my back for one second and you're gone," Ban huffed. His hair had already started to flatten.

The umbrella had tilted over Ginji's shoulder when he'd leaned against the window and exposed him to the rain entirely. Without realizing he was soaked within seconds. His coat clung uncomfortably to his skin.

"I thought I saw something," he said, moving away from the window for Ban to look.

Ban peeked through his hands against the window. "Just a bunch of old toys."

"You can't see anything near the door?"

"No," he replied, "only a bat and a hell lot of cobwebs."

"Oh." Ginji frowned. Was that what he'd seen?

Ban straightened up to face him. "What is it?"

"Nothing," he said, a little too quickly.

"Hmm." Ban moved forward and grabbed the umbrella. "Let's go back inside. You're soaked."

"But –"

"It's pointless searching in this weather," Ban interrupted. "We can tackle the outside another day."

Ginji nodded, admitting defeat. "You're right." He glanced once more at the garden before following Ban back down the path.

Moments later, within the enclosed area of the shed, the tricycle's pedals began to move.

* * *

**Chapter One End**

**To Be Continued In Chapter Two**

* * *

**Author's Note:** (Spooky ghost music injected here) -smile-…. Thank you for your time. 


	3. Chapter 2: The First Night

**Based on the story:** _Getbackers_

**Written by:** aoi kodomo

**Full Summary:** The Getbackers finally get their hands on a mission they can really sink their teeth into. However, when the spiritual world starts to cross with reality, will the duo be able to tell the difference between what's real and what's not? Does the ability to communicate with the dead really exist?

**Author's Note:** All characters of _Getbackers_ are copyright to Rando Ayamine and Yuya Aoki. Any additional characters are copyright to me.

**Rating:** T

* * *

**Get Back the Sacred Jewel**

**Chapter Two:** The First Night

* * *

Ten long hours and 4 rooms later, the Getbackers had searched the remainder of the library, the dining hall, the main seating area and the kitchen. Unfortunately the search didn't bring them any closer to their target. 

However, behind all the books and dust in the library, they had pulled up an interesting find. The original plans that had designed and created the Sakamuru mansion were folded neatly behind a book shelf. The blueprints were old and some of the writing had worn away, but the rooms were clearly printed and outlined.

The duo took the blueprints back to Ban's room and separated them out onto the bed. Mr. Matsumoto arrived with some tea and bided them a good night.

Ban pondered over the blueprints thoughtfully. It showed the rooms he and Ginji hadn't searched, including all the rooms on the first and second floor. So far they had covered a large majority of the ground floor, but even so they still hadn't finished it.

Ban pinched the bridge of his nose and moved onto the second blueprint, the one that showed the first floor, the floor they were staying on. He could make out where his and Ginji's rooms were and the other guest bedrooms, plus an additional room that wasn't named. Mr. Matsumoto's room was on their floor, too. It indicated clearly where the second staircase was also.

"Interesting," Ban mused. He reached for the other blueprint but Ginji had laid on it. "Hey, Ginji, move your –"

His partner snorted in reply before Ban could finish his sentence. Ban jumped slightly when the snort became a grunt and then a full-blown snore.

Ban looked at the clock on the nightstand. 12.43. They'd been working a full day now and hadn't gotten anywhere. They definitely needed to speed things up a bit. _This place is too damn big for two people_.

He shook Ginji roughly. "Yo, doofus … wake up."

"Wha … are we done?"

Ban smiled. "You wish. It's gone midnight already. Go to your room."

"Don't you want to look over these blueprints first?"

Ban shook his head. "No, it can wait until tomorrow." He rolled the blueprints up and rested them against the corner of the room. "Now go get some sleep. If you can tolerate staying in a room by yourself, that is. Watch out for things that go bump in the night."

"Very funny," Ginji replied, walking over to the door and yanking the handle. Outside the corridor was pitch black, illuminated only by the light coming from Ban's room. Ginji opened his own door and flicked the light on.

"Hey, Ginji," Ban called before he shut the door.

"Yeah?"

"If you need anything, you come get me. Got it?"

Ginji blinked, once, twice, and then smiled. "I'll be fine, Ban."

He closed the door, not noticing the slight look of uncertainty on Ban's face.

* * *

_Creeeeak … Creeeeak … Creeeeak …_

_What the -_!

Ginji jumped out of bed and crept towards the window. He peered through the gap in the curtains anxiously and scanned the outside. The wind whistled loudly against the window, as though it protested against the idea of being locked out. The rain pounded on the metal of the balcony and poured down in thick sheets of water along the glass. The wind blew in so strong Ginji could hear the outer pane rattle.

He glanced over at the swing. The tree bent lopsidedly and the swing itself flew furiously from side to side. Every so often it hit the tree with an audible _thump_.

_Creeeeak … Creeeeak … Creeeeak … BANG_!!

Ginji jumped. His heart thumped wildly in his chest. _What was that_?!

_Creeeeak … Creeeeak … BANG_!

The noise came from outside, but Ginji couldn't locate the main source of the sound. He knew enough to know it was the sound of a door opening and slamming shut.

He opened his window as much as he dared. The noise got louder. He could hear the _creak _more clearly over the wind now. The banging sound came seconds afterwards. Ginji listened again, more intently. The wind blew rain into his room and the cool water splattered his face.

_Creeeeak … BANG_!

_Oh, that's it_, Ginji thought. The shed door had opened.

It was the only additional feature outside that _had_ a door. But who opened it? The padlock looked so ancient; even he could tell no one used it. Maybe he could ask Mr. Sakamuru about it tomorrow. For now, he'd have to tolerate the noise.

Ginji sighed and closed the window. He pulled the curtain back and crawled into bed. He looked at the clock on the nightstand. 3.47. _I wonder if Ban got to sleep okay_ … He smiled. _Heh, that's not hard to answer_. Ban could sleep through anything.

Outside, the shed door continued to open and close repeatedly, wood smashing against wood. The tricycle's pedals turned furiously. And there, sat on the handle bars, was the tiniest bell, unnoticed by the two before.

The trigger to the bell suddenly moved and it let out the faintest _bbrring_.

* * *

The following morning Ban was pissed. He woke to the sound of continuous wind and rain, broken every so often by the gradual rumble of thunder. His room was cloaked in darkness, but when he opened his curtains, he was greeted by a miserable gray sky and lightning flashes. He opted to keep them closed. 

It was then that he looked on his nightstand and noticed something odd. It didn't take him long to work it out.

His cigarettes were missing.

He started to frantically search through his drawers and clothes but they weren't there. He could feel the stress tickling away at his temples. Without his morning cigarette his mood would definitely turn sour.

Ban grunted his disapproval and decided to hit the shower.

He had just started running the water when a scream erupted from Ginji's room. He fled the shower, slipping on the tiles as he did so and fell head first to the floor. Ban gritted his teeth, wrapped a towel around his waist and bolted out of his room and straight into Ginji's.

"Ginji!"

His friend was sat clutching his knees in the corner of the room. Ban hurried over and knelt down beside him.

"Ginji! What is it?"

Ginji shivered and pointed towards the bathroom. His voice shook when he spoke. "I saw a … a … a g-g-g …"

Ban placed a hand on his shoulder. "A what? Come on, tell me."

"A … g-g-g …"

"A ghost?"

"… A _gigantic_ _bug_ in the bathroom!"

Ban's body suddenly twitched. "_What_?"

Ginji shuddered and clutched Ban's towel. "_Huuuge_! Gross! Disgusting thing! I tried hitting it but it kept _moving_!"

Ban's forehead started to ache. His eyebrow jerked as his stress rose and he began a slow count to ten. "You brought me in here … because of a _bug_?"

"Didn't you hear me? A huge, gigantic,_ enooorrmous _bug!"

Ban finished his count and stood up. God, he needed nicotine! "I'm going back to my room," he said calmly.

"But Baaaan! Can't you kill it?!" Ginji started frantically waving his arms about, blurting out his words in one go. "Ican'thaveashowerwiththat_thing_lookingatmewithuglybeadyeyespleeeeasegetridofitformeeee!"

"No." Ban started walking out of the room, dragging his partner along with him as he clung to his leg.

"You'resuchameanieonesimplethingandyouwon'tevendoitforme!"

Ginji suddenly gave his towel a hard tug and it fell around his legs. Ban tripped over the tangled material and plummeted face-down to the floor. He growled at Ginji who'd gotten over the sudden shock and had started laughing hysterically.

Ban grabbed his wrist and pulled him angrily towards him. "It – is – not – _funny_!"

"Um … excuse me."

Ban's face dropped when Mr. Matsumoto appeared above him. The man glanced away awkwardly and bowed. "Pardon me. I heard a loud _thud_ and grew concerned. But I see you are uninjured so … I'll let you get back to your … umm … business."

"Business?" Ban repeated. The little clocks ticked in his mind before he saw the situation through Mr. Matsumoto's eyes. "Ah! No! It's not -! We weren't -!"

"Please, you do not have to explain. I will go and prepare breakfast for you now." Hajime bowed a second time before hastily retreating from the corridor.

Ban groaned and bonked Ginji hard on the head. "Idiot."

Ginji was still too busy laughing to notice his partner had said anything.

* * *

Ban's mood didn't change when he realized he couldn't go out and buy cigarettes because the weather was so bad. His mood darkened when Mr. Sakamuru joined them for breakfast and calmly said, "My, my, you boys sure are active so early in the morning, from what I hear from Hajime." He chuckled and winked at Ban before leaving the table, saying he was going out on business and would be back later that day. He had already picked up on Ban's sour mood and promised to buy him some cigarettes. 

_That's all well and good_, Ban thought. _But I can't smoke them until later_!

Ban wanted to so easily blame his foul mood on Ginji for the hassle he had caused him already in the morning, but his partner was too busy scoffing his third helping of breakfast to notice his annoyed expression.

"It's not an all-you-can-eat buffet, Ginji," Ban pointed out when Ginji wolfed down another plateful. "We don't need to put our clients out of food and water."

Ginji just grinned in reply. "It would be rude of me not to eat Mr. Matsumoto's food. He did cook us breakfast after all!"

Ban sighed and stood up.

"Where are you going?" Ginji asked.

"To my room," he replied coolly. "One of us has to do some work."

"Are you upset, Ban?"

"Upset?" Ban digested this slowly. "Of course not … I've had a great start to the day. I fell out of the shower trying to save _your_ ass, only to have _you_ pull my towel down and expose my _naked_ _body_ to the _butler_! And for what? A _bug_!"

"Well, it wasn't really for anything," Ginji smiled. "You never got the bug."

"I – you – that's –!" Ban quickly left the room before he decked his partner.

* * *

The rain continued to plummet throughout the day. Loud clasps of thunder echoed around the darkness of the Sakamuru mansion as the Getbackers continued their search. After a few hours the lights blacked out, and Ginji had to carry a small lamp around, lit dimly by his electricity. He used just enough to light up the areas they searched while Hajime gathered some candles and started propping them in each of the rooms. 

The duo decided to leave the ground floor and search the first floor. Hajime was no where to be seen so Ban sent Ginji to look for him. Reluctantly he did, separating from his partner for the first time since they had been in the mansion.

Ginji crept down the stairs cautiously. He had insisted Ban take the lamp but Ban had declined, saying that Ginji couldn't give it enough juice to last long and that he'd take a candle. Truthfully Ginji felt uncomfortable walking around on his own. He knew the mansion possessed no danger, but the uncertainty he felt from being here rested strongly in his gut.

He walked back into the entrance hall and started making his way towards the kitchen. He figured Hajime would spend more time in there as he prepared all the meals.

Thunder rumbled and echoed all around him, broken every so often by a deep lightning flash that would stream past the window and light up the entire corridor.

Ginji held the lamp as tightly as possible and called out Hajime's name. He continued to call out but when no answer came he gave up. Even his own voice could barely be heard over the thunder. He quickly searched the library and the dining hall before entering the kitchen.

It was empty.

Ginji sighed. He started to retrace his steps when he caught a movement in the corner of his eye. He turned and saw a shadow move across the wall of the dining hall.

"Mr. Matsumoto?"

He walked back into the dining hall and scanned the room. Most of the rooms on the first floor were connected to another so he made his way across to a door opposite him. He cut through one of the reception rooms and returned back to the entrance hall.

Another flash of lightning shimmered past the tall Victorian windows, followed by a faint roar of thunder. Shadows emerged from the weird objects and ornaments dotted everywhere and danced on the walls and banister. Ginji concluded this as the reason for the shadow he saw in the dining hall.

"At least the thunder's getting quieter," he muttered. The further away it was the better. The lightning he could deal with.

He quickly started doing a search of the other rooms, calling out Hajime's name as he did so. After a few minutes he ended up back where he started. Mr. Matsumoto was definitely not on the ground floor anymore.

Ginji gave a small shrug and opted to find Ban. He began to make his way back upstairs.

He had just taken his first step when he froze abruptly.

The lamp he was holding jerked from his hand and shattered across the floor.

* * *

**Chapter Two End**

**To Be Continued In Chapter Three**

* * *

**Author's Note:** I'm sorry for the delay. I try to upload my chapters as quickly as possible but I have a very busy lifestyle. I realize this chapter is short but it's supposed to be. 

Also, in response to one review I would like to say thank you very much for your kind words. I know you said you were only just discovering the Getbackers manga / anime series and wondered if you needed to know anything about my story. This story is purely fictional and can be read by new beginners to Getbackers such as yourself and fans that have been following the series from the word go. I believe a basic knowledge of the characters themselves is a useful start but you seem to already have this. If you should require a specific piece of information please do not hesitate to put your queries forward. I will be happy to answer any questions to the best of my ability.

On a final note, I would like to thank everyone for their uplifting comments and thoughts. I appreciate every piece of input and look forward to writing chapter three!

Aoi kodomo


	4. Chapter 3: Call In The Reinforcements!

**Based on the story:** _Getbackers_

**Written by:** aoi kodomo

**Full Summary:** The Getbackers finally get their hands on a mission they can really sink their teeth into. However, when the spiritual world starts to cross with reality, will the duo be able to tell the difference between what's real and what's not? Does the ability to communicate with the dead really exist?

**Author's Note:** All characters of _Getbackers_ are copyright to Rando Ayamine and Yuya Aoki. Any additional characters are copyright to me.

**Rating:** T

* * *

**Get Back the Sacred Jewel**

**Chapter Three:** Call In the Reinforcements!

* * *

Engulfed in darkness Ginji couldn't see what or _who_ had startled him. But he heard it.

The sound of shuffling footsteps as they began a slow descent down the stairs, a faint rubbing of a palm on the banister, a movement of clothing … his ears pricked at each sound and he took a tentative step backwards.

His foot landed on a piece of the broken lamp and the sudden prick of glass cut through his slipper and into his skin. Ginji winced and brought his leg up, grasping his foot in his hand. He felt a warm ooze of blood trickle between his fingers.

The shuffling noise suddenly stopped.

Ginji looked up into the darkness. He realized he was holding his breath.

The zigzag of a lightning strip unexpectedly shot past the window behind him and the entire length of the stairs lit up in a flash of blue light.

A grinning face appeared inches from Ginji's, the nose almost touching his. Big eyes stared directly into his own shocked ones and two grubby hands reached out towards him.

He screamed and lost the balance off his one foot, falling backwards. His arms flew out automatically to try and alleviate his landing. Both palms hit the floor, the broken glass cutting deep into his skin. He yelled in pain but managed to turn himself so that the rest of his body didn't fall on the jagged shards. Within a split second the darkness had returned.

Ginji sat up and brought his palms close to his chest. Blood seeped down his hands and along his wrists. He could feel the broken shards of glass in his skin.

The shuffling noise began again and he heard a steady _thud thud_ as footsteps made their way back up the stairs. Ginji could hear a faint whisper followed by a sudden chuckle.

"Wait!" he called, but the sound faded.

"Ginji!"

The audible _click_ of Ban's cigarette lighter followed by a flicker of orange light made him look up. His partner made his way down the stairs, the expression on his face one of shock when his eyes rested on Ginji's. He halted when he saw the shattered lamp, carefully walking around it before kneeling in front of him.

"Shit. What happened?" Ban produced a small candle from his shirt pocket and lit it, placing it on the floor beside them. "You shouldn't scare me like –"

"Did you see?!" Ginji blurted, cutting him off.

"See what?" Ban grabbed his hand and pulled it toward him. "Geez, I can't leave you alone for a second, can I? Come on, we need to sort this."

"But I –"

"You can tell me what happened _after_, Ginji," Ban said sternly.

"But – okay …" Ginji sighed and nodded in defeat. He knew his safety was more important to Ban than anything else.

* * *

"A child?" Ban repeated, carefully removing another piece of glass from Ginji's palm.

Mr. Matsumoto had ushered the duo both into the kitchen when he had found them. He had already been on the first floor and had stumbled into Ban, giving him a handful of small candles and offering to light up the rooms on the first floor so they could search each one. Ban had gone to retrieve Ginji when he heard his friend yell and had rushed to discover him a shaking mess in the hall. Now he was tending to Ginji's injuries while Hajime went to fetch a medical kit.

"Yeah." Ginji was perched on the counter as Ban picked out the broken shards from his hand. A candle was lit next to him. "A boy, I think. It happened so quickly I couldn't tell. I just saw a pair of eyes and tiny hands reach out to me. That's when I stumbled back. It caught me off guard."

"Hmm." Ban beckoned him to hold out his right hand.

"You don't believe me?" Ginji asked. It sounded phony now that he thought about it.

Ban clicked his fingers abruptly in front of Ginji's face.

"Don't be stupid," he said aggressively. It annoyed him that Ginji would even ask such a thing.

"I'm sorry Ban," Ginji said quickly. "I didn't –"

"No, it's fine." Ban waved his apology away. "I suppose some people would find that story bogus. I doubt even you would be dumb enough to fall on a broken lamp like that, without something shocking you anyway. However, that said, I'd believe you even if you hadn't hurt yourself."

Ginji nodded. "Yeah … I know."

"Good." Ban grabbed a cloth from the sink. "Hold out both your hands."

Ginji obliged, putting his hands out, palms upwards. He winced when Ban pulled the cloth tight.

"Sorry. When Hajime brings the first aid kit I'll wrap it properly. This will stop the bleeding for now. You're lucky the cuts weren't deep."

"I managed to move a little when I fell. I missed most of the glass."

"That's good. I'm not picking pieces of glass from your butt."

Ginji laughed. "I wouldn't ask you to do _that_!"

Ban smiled, tying a knot in the cloth. "Put your foot on the counter."

Hajime returned with the medical kit as Ban was picking the last shard of glass from Ginji's foot. He helped Ban to wrap Ginji's cuts and then disappeared to fetch him a replacement pair of slippers and a t-shirt.

"Mr. Matsumoto sure is considerate, isn't he?" Ginji said, hopping off the counter. His foot hurt a little when he placed it flat on the floor, but he knew it wouldn't take long for him to heal. He'd be back to normal by tomorrow.

"It's his job," Ban replied. He took Ginji's t-shirt off him and threw it in the sink. "We are just guests, after all."

"I guess so."

"Although now it seems we have a new obstacle in our way. I've got a feeling this assignment will be a lot more hassle than what I predicted."

Ginji said nothing.

Ban looked at him intently. "We don't have to stay here, you know. We can just come and search this place by day. I'm sure we can find a hotel somewhere."

"No," Ginji said. "It doesn't matter when we search. I mean, it's not even that late now, is it? Besides, I was the only one that saw … maybe it's just me …"

Ban sighed. "Fine, I'll do a thorough search of the rooms tomorrow. For now, you can go hit the sack."

"But I –"

"Our searching is over for today," Ban said slowly, emphasizing each word. "We don't need to look anymore tonight." He lightly thumped Ginji's shoulder. "Go to bed."

"But Ban –"

"It's okay," Ban smiled. "I have no intention of leaving you alone. Who knows what other crazy stuff you'll get up to?"

Ginji nodded and smiled. "Thanks Ban."

* * *

Ban waited until he was sure Ginji had fallen asleep before leaving the room. He gently closed the door behind him and walked the length of the corridor before descending the stairs.

Mr. Sakamuru had returned later that evening and Ban had given him a brief insight of what had happened. He told him the same story he had told Hajime. Something had shocked Ginji causing him to drop and fall on the lamp he was carrying. Ban cut out the bit about the child on both occasions, partly because he wasn't sure if the occupants of the mansion would believe him, but also because, if they did believe him, he didn't want to cause them fright in their own home. He did wonder if Mr. Sakamuru and Mr. Matsumoto had experienced anything weird as they did live here, but he wanted to confirm what Ginji had seen before approaching the subject.

He lit one of the candles he had brought with him and began to search each room on the ground floor.

After a thorough search of the rooms he walked back into the entrance hall. He stood on the first step of the stairs and looked up.

_This is where Ginji said he saw him_. Ban grabbed a cigarette from his shirt pocket Mr. Sakamuru had bought him and lit up. He took a deep drag and blew the excess smoke to one side.

He waited until his cigarette was completely gone. Nothing appeared in that time.

It took him an extra hour to search every room in the mansion. If he was looking for the jewel it would have taken him forever, but he forgot about that and instead searched for any signs of life. If this child Ginji saw did exist, then he should still be inside somewhere. However, the mansion consisted of three huge floors, four if the roof/attic was included. While Ban was searching one floor, someone could easily move to another floor without his knowledge.

He sighed and started to make his way back. Whoever Ginji had seen he couldn't find them.

Ginji was still fast asleep when Ban entered his room. He had insisted Ginji stay in his room that night so he could keep a close eye on him. "So you don't go causing me trouble," Ban had said. Truth was he had an uneasy feeling something would happen to Ginji if he'd let him stay in his own room. Superstitious, he knew, but he wasn't taking any chances.

Ban sat in a chair by the window and lit another cigarette, pondering his current situation. Outside the moon was full and shot directly into the room, giving it an eerie but peaceful feel.

Ginji muttered something in his sleep but he didn't catch it.

He couldn't understand how Ginji had seen something so odd and he was kept in the dark. Normally he saw everything Ginji did, but if they were dealing with something he couldn't see … how could he resolve the problem? He knew Mr. Sakamuru didn't have a child, so had Ginji seen a ghost?

_A ghost … humph_. Ban wasn't a non-believer, and it wasn't like Ginji had said the little boy was see-through and floating, but surely he would be able to track a real child down? And if the child had escaped up the stairs, Ban would have definitely heard him when he was running across the corridor at the time. Ginji did say he had appeared literally seconds afterwards.

However, searching by himself turned out to be no good. It still came down to his previous thought. If he was on one floor, he wouldn't be able to tell if someone was on another.

Ban sighed and grabbed his cell phone from the nightstand. "Time to get a second opinion," he muttered, scrolling through the phonebook. He wanted to resolve this problem as soon as possible, before anything bad happened to either of them.

Even though it was late, it didn't take long for a reply to crackle through from the other end.

Ban smiled and spoke quietly into the phone. "I'm aware of the time, but do me a favor, would you?" He gave a brief outline of his situation and added, "Ask the others to come down here too. Oh, and I'd like you to look something up for me."

* * *

"So how did I get dragged into this?" Shido grumbled, shoving his hands deep into his pockets. He glanced up at the Sakamuru mansion, taking in the huge features and dominating-looking windows. _It's even bigger than Madoka's place_. His gazed shifted sideways. "Hey! Stop doing that!" 

Emishi jumped away from the gate. "I didn't touch it," he said innocently.

"Emishi, what did you do with the button off the buzzer?" Kazuki asked, peeking closely at the hole where the button was supposed to go.

"Eh heh heh heh," Emishi rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Well, I pressed it like you told me to and it sort of … _fell _off."

"Fell off?" Juubei repeated.

"You mean you broke it," Kazuki injected pointedly.

"Broke it?!" Emishi stumbled back, his hand poised dramatically over his face. "My dear Kazuki, I cannot break something that was already broken!"

"So how do we get in?" Shido asked.

Emishi gasped. "Are you ignoring me, Shido?!"

"Can you call Ban on his cell?" Kazuki suggested.

"I don't have his number," Shido replied.

"Or a cell phone," Juubei added.

"Shido!" Emishi whined, jumping up and down behind them.

"I suppose going over the gate once can't hurt," Shido smiled.

"Well, they are expecting us," Kazuki said. "I see no reason why not."

Emishi's grinning face suddenly popped up between Shido and Kazuki, "Oooh!" He rubbed his hands together excitedly. "Breaking and entering, are we? Sounds fun! I'll go first!"

* * *

"You guys are pathetic," Ban tutted, tapping his foot impatiently, arms folded. "Did you not _think_ that a huge mansion like this _didn't_ have top-of-the-range security?"

"It did come to us, yes," Emishi said, lifting a finger. "Although it might have been worth mentioning when you asked us to come here."

"Definitely a close call," Kazuki said, bringing his hair around his shoulders to examine it. "I must say I consider myself lucky."

"Speak for yourself," Emishi muttered, removing his own hair from his band. "Look! The ends of my hair nearly got singed off!"

"Serves you right," Shido replied. "You're the one that insisted on going first. Maybe you should watch your step next time."

"But you guys!" Emishi protested, flapping his arms about. "Come _on_! How was I supposed to know the guy had laser beams installed?!"

"Didn't take you long to find out since _you_ set the first one off!" Shido growled.

Emishi's eyes rapidly began to water. "That's so heartless, Shido. Show a little compassion. I could have seriously hurt myself."

"Like Juubei," Ginji injected. He pointed at Juubei's burnt shirt, which now hung in ribbons over his bare torso. "Good thing your trousers stayed in tact, buddy!"

"I didn't think one of my own would try to kill me," Juubei said, idly pointing a needle at Emishi's retreating back. "Where are you going? I can still hear you."

Emishi laughed nervously and jumped behind Ginji. "Well, y'know, accidents happen, right? You were only alight for a little while … heh heh heh … and you did well to dodge them afterwards, Juubei."

"Only because Kazuki was shouting him directions," Shido pointed out. He turned to Ban. "Anyway, putting our near-death experience aside, what did you drag us out here for? Don't tell me this assignment is so hard you had to bring in reinforcements already?"

"Pft, don't flatter yourself." Ban produced a cigarette from his pocket and lit up. He blew the smoke promptly in Shido's face. "If you've got a problem, leave. This job doesn't necessarily require you."

Shido balled his hand into a fist. "Why you –"

"Ah, Mr. Amano, Mr. Midou, are these friends of yours?" Mr. Sakamuru suddenly appeared in front of the four. He bowed politely. "It's a pleasure to meet you all. Young Midou did mention you were coming. Oh my, but perhaps I caught you at a bad time?" He spotted Juubei's burnt state and turned to Ban. "Did Hajime not come to buzz them through?"

"No sir, they're just idiots," Ban said bluntly.

"Hey!" Shido barked, aiming a punch at Ban.

"Now, now, Shido." Emishi grabbed his arm and held it back.

"Biggest idiot of them all, sir," Ban said, jabbing his cigarette in Shido's direction.

"Why I oughta –!"

"I see then," Mr. Sakamuru mused. "What a lively bunch, I must say. Please, excuse me a moment. I must go and see where Hajime disappeared to."

"That's him?" Kazuki asked when Mr. Sakamuru had left. "Hard to believe a guy like that would stay in such a huge place alone."

"Hajime lives with him too," Ginji smiled. "They're both really nice people!"

Kazuki smiled. _Ginji's just as enthusiastic as ever_. "Is that so?"

"Hey, Ginji," Ban tapped his shoulder lightly. "Go and fetch Juubei one of your t-shirts, will you? We don't want him running around half naked."

"Sure! Be right back!" He shot up the stairs and disappeared from view.

Kazuki followed his retreating form before turning to Ban. "That's a polite way of getting him out of the room," he said, his voice taking on a more serious tone. "It doesn't take long for him to heal, does it?"

Ban turned his back on him and looked out one of the large windows. "A few cuts and bruises aren't going to put him off the assignment," he said. "You guys aren't urgently needed, either."

"Then why send us out here?" Shido asked.

"I want to confirm if what Ginji saw was real," Ban replied, getting straight to the point before Ginji came back.

"You mean that child?" Kazuki asked. "Judging by what Paul told us, it gave Ginji quite a fright. I'm guessing you haven't seen him then?"

"No, I searched all over myself after it happened." Ban crushed his cigarette and threw it in a plant pot next to him. "It just pisses me off that he disappeared straight after I got to Ginji."

"So?" Shido asked. "Who cares if a child gets in here? It's not like he'll be in your way."

"Shido's right." Kazuki said. "Mr. Sakamuru could get the police to search his home if a child has wandered in."

"Who said the child wandered in?" Ban asked. "I've got a feeling he was already here from the beginning."

"You can't possibly know that," Kazuki said.

"Perhaps not," Ban agreed. "But a child appearing out of the blue and then vanishing moments later … what are the odds? Ginji was sat right there when he fell." Ban pointed to the spot at the bottom of the stairs. "And I appeared there when he called out." He moved his hand upwards. "I was at the top of the stairs, Ginji at the bottom, and the child in between us. So where did he go? Ginji heard him laugh, too. But I didn't … I didn't even see him, let alone hear him."

"Are you saying Ginji saw a ghost?" Juubei asked. He found that hard to believe.

"That's what we're here to find out," Ban said. "If this gets in the way of our assignment, I'd rather remove the obstacle before something else happens."

"Like what?" Shido asked. "Ginji's perfectly capable of looking after himself."

"I'm aware of that," Ban said, turning to look directly at Shido. "But if a child possessed some kind of danger toward him, do you really think Ginji would do something so easily about it without hesitation?"

"No, I don't think he would," Shido said.

"But Ban," Kazuki said, "what danger could a child have toward you?"

"Nothing," Ban replied, "if it were alive."

"So … what?" Emishi asked. "You think you've got a poltergeist or something?"

"I don't know until I have a thorough search of this mansion," Ban said, "which is why I asked Paul to ask you guys to come here. My eyes aren't enough. It's not so much for my sake as it is for Ginji's. I want to get to the bottom of this."

"But if it is a ghost," Emishi said, "it would be harmless, right?"

"I guess we'll find that out, won't we?" Ban said, lighting up another cigarette.

"Sounds like a stupid goose chase to me," Shido muttered.

"Come on, Shido," Kazuki said. "It does sound suspicious, don't you think? I doubt Ginji would imagine that sort of thing. I must say I am curious. Very well, Ban. I'll help you with your search."

"Me too," Juubei added, "Considering you did ask for me specifically."

Ban nodded. Nothing got past Juubei.

"I guess if it's for Ginji, I don't mind," Shido said. "Animals can sense things human can't, after all. That's why you wanted me here too, right?"

Ban said nothing.

"Ginji doesn't know we're ghost-hunting, does he?" Emishi asked. "He thinks we're just here to help look for that rock you were first assigned to find. Why not tell him you want to search for that boy?"

"Ban doesn't want Ginji to think he's making a big deal over it," Kazuki answered for him.

"But he is," Shido deadpanned.

"Maybe so," Kazuki agreed. "But what's more important? Their safety or a missing jewel?"

"Depends on the size of the jewel," Emishi joked.

"Considering the elaborate means Ban took to get us here," Kazuki reflected, "I'm guessing we won't be looking for just one child, will we? Paul told us about what this place used to be. That's what really got your suspicions up, isn't it?"

Again Ban said nothing.

At that point Ginji returned, taking the steps two at a time and landing from a neat flip in front of Juubei.

"Ta-dah!" He laughed, handing Juubei a white t-shirt. "Sorry it took so long Juubei! Hajime had taken all my t-shirts to be washed so I had to wait for him to fetch me one. Hope it fits!"

"It's fine, Ginji," Juubei smiled. "Thank you."

"So what were you guys talking about?" Ginji asked.

"Nothing," Ban replied. "These four are going to help us with our assignment, Ginji."

"Seriously?!" Ginji grinned excitedly, promptly throwing himself onto Kazuki's shoulders. "Wow, wow, wow! This will make our job so much more fun! What do you say, Kazuki? Want a tour? Well, well! We-eeelll?"

Kazuki laughed. "Fine, fine," he said.

Ginji grabbed Kazuki's hand and dragged him away, beginning a running commentary of each and every room before he disappeared into one of them.

"As hyper as ever, I see," Emishi mused. "It's like nothing even happened to him."

"He's not sure of what he saw himself, is he?" Juubei asked, turning in Ban's direction.

Even though Juubei's sight no longer existed, Ban couldn't help but feel he was looking straight through him.

* * *

**Chapter Three End**

**To Be Continued In Chapter Four**

* * *

**Author's Note: **This chapter doesn't explain much, I know. I was mostly bringing everyone together. I hope I got the characters' personalities okay. I couldn't write a fic without some of the other wonderful characters of Getbackers. I try to inject a little humor into my fics if possible because it is something I can see happening to the characters quite easily. I personally think Emishi would cause the most trouble (wonder why … haha).

On that note, I am pleased with the reviews I have received saying I have kept the characters' personalities in tact. I hope I have continued to do so with this chapter and that you will enjoy reading the rest of this story. Thank you all very much.

Again I apologize for my very late updates. As previously said I have a very busy lifestyle (plus a very bad case of writers' block sometimes).

Aoi


	5. Chapter 4: Mishaps

**Based on the story:** _Getbackers_

**Written by:** aoi kodomo

**Full Summary:** The Getbackers finally get their hands on a mission they can really sink their teeth into. However, when the spiritual world starts to cross with reality, will the duo be able to tell the difference between what's real and what's not? Does the ability to communicate with the dead really exist?

**Author's Note:** All characters of _Getbackers_ are copyright to Rando Ayamine and Yuya Aoki. Any additional characters are copyright to me.

**Rating:** T

* * *

**Get Back the Sacred Jewel**

**Chapter Four:** Mishaps

* * *

_SMASH!!_

Emishi flinched. "Whoops."

Shido appeared out of nowhere and suddenly loomed over him, his eyes blazing. "What – did – you – just – _do_?" Each word came out slow and threatening.

Emishi flashed him an innocent grin. "Well, you see …" He waved his hand at the broken vase by his feet as though it would provide its own explanation. "I, err …"

"_YOUJUSTBROKEANOTHERONEDIDN'TYOU!!_" Shido bellowed, gritting his teeth together like fangs.

Emishi's hair practically stood on end from the verbal attack. "It was an accident," he squeaked.

"_ANACCIDENTTHAT'SCOMINGOUTOFYOURPOCKET!!_" Shido growled back, his hands clawing for Emishi's neck. "_IFYOUBREAKONEMOREISWEAR_ –!" He latched his fingers onto Emishi's throat and shook him furiously.

"Butbutbutbut –!" Emishi choked, trying to pry Shido's hands away. "That was only my fifth one!"

Shido released him suddenly and said, "Fifth?"

Emishi nodded. "Err … yeah."

"Fifth, huh?" Shido glanced at him slowly, his eyes glinting. "Tell me, Emishi. How much do you think vases like the one you just broke costs?"

Emishi took a tentative step backwards. "Well … I'm … not sure …"

An evil smile made its way across Shido's face. "Of course you're not," he said, taking a step toward Emishi. The joker took another one back. "Someone who knew wouldn't break _five_ in under an hour, would they?"

"Erm … probably not …"

"So here's a suggestion," Shido said, his anger slowly seeping out of him as he released each word. "Don't … touch … _anything_!"

Emishi gulped. "Yes sir!" he gave a mock salute, but as he did so his elbow hit a figurine that was sat on a small display stand behind him. It fell in what seemed like slow-motion before smashing to pieces on the floor, the shards scattering everywhere.

Emishi blinked and slowly looked up at Shido. "Err …"

The beast master was practically _glowing_ now. His whole body looked like it was on fire, the anger rising up in flames until it hit its furious peak.

He voice hissed loudly throughout the corridor. "_EM … EE … SHI …_!"

"Ahahaha!" Emishi laughed nervously. "Oh, my, look at the time!" He pretended to look at an imaginary wristwatch. "I'm late for the _thing_ … that I have to do … on a totally different floor from this one …!" As he said each word he crept further away from Shido, before finally bolting down the corridor and disappearing from view.

* * *

"_YOUCOMEBACKHEREYOUBASTARDI'LLKILLYOUFORSURETHISTIME!!_"

"Noooo! Help! He's going to kill meeeee!"

Ginji listened to Emishi's pleas from the floor above, each one followed by a roaring threat from Shido. _That doesn't sound too good_, he thought.

He looked at Ban. "Was it a good idea to pair those two off?"

"Sounds like they're doing okay," Ban said in a deadpan tone. _That stupid idiot! Can't he search one room without breaking anything! At this rate he'll scare even the rats away! Doesn't he know the meaning of low-key?!_

"Ban? Are you okay? Heeellloooo?"

"Err, yeah, I'm fine." He smiled lightly. "Don't worry about it Ginji, Shido can handle that guy."

"_YOUSONOFABITCHYOUJUSTBROKEANOTHERONE!_"

There was a faint whimper, a child-like sob, followed shortly by a dull thud.

Then complete silence.

Ginji looked at Ban, unsure. His wide eyes focused on him in that usual, boyish way. "Oh my God I think Shido's killed him!" he blurted.

Ban retrieved a cigarette and lit up. "Sounds like it." _Emishi had that coming_.

* * *

"Sounds like Emishi's giving Shido a rough time," Kazuki mused.

"I think the beastmaster's found a way to deal with it," Juubei said when the yelling and screaming had stopped completely.

"I can't hear anything now," Kazuki said.

"One of them must be dead."

From the floor above them they heard a faint _clunk_ followed by a girly-type screech.

"I think that's Emishi," Kazuki said.

The screech was shortly followed by a growl.

"That's definitely Shido," Juubei said.

Kazuki smiled and carried on walking along the ground floor, peeking in each room as he did so. "At least we know they're alive. Come on, let's keep searching."

He was just about to step into one of the reception rooms when Juubei's hand shot out and grabbed his wrist in a vice-like grip.

Kazuki turned. "What is it?"

"I can hear footsteps," Juubei said quietly. "Who else is here?"

Kazuki glanced down the corridor and into the room he was about to enter. "Just us," he replied. "Mr. Matsuomoto and Mr. Sakamuru have gone out. Everybody else is on the other floors."

Juubei turned in the direction of the entrance hall. "Someone else is here," he said, lifting his hand. "Over there." He pointed at the stairs.

Kazuki never once doubted Juubei's astute senses and looked to where he was pointing.

A small boy stood at the top of the stairs.

* * *

"Who's there?!" Shido spun around towards Ginji's room, peeking inside. "Emishi, did you hear that?"

"Shido … please … let go of me …" Emishi wriggled about in Shido's grasp, trying desperately to break free. "You're – choking – me … ughahh …"

"Oh, right." Shido released him suddenly and Emishi hit the floor with a loud _thud_. The beastmaster seemed to have instantly forgotten the reason he was trying to kill him.

"Oww … what was that …" Emishi stood up and rubbed his back. "Shido –"

"Quiet," Shido said. "I can hear something …"

"Hmm?" Emishi listened closely, looking up and down the corridor as he did so. Ginji's room was the last one he and Shido searched on their floor, and peeking in that room now, Emishi saw and heard nothing. "I can't hear anything."

"You won't be able to," Shido replied, closing his eyes. "Right now I'm using the ears of the dog and I can hear … scraping, I think …"

"Scraping? You mean like shuffling?"

"Something like that."

"Where is it?" Emishi asked.

Shido's eyes opened suddenly. "Behind you," he said.

A chill traveled down Emishi's spine and he slowly turned his body.

His eyes met those of a child staring back at him.

* * *

Juubei squeezed Kazuki's hand when his friend didn't answer him. "Kazuki, is someone there?" But he already knew the answer.

"Yes," Kazuki replied, "a young boy."

"Where is he?"

"At the top of the stairs," Kazuki said calmly, keeping his eyes on him. "He's just … standing there." Inside, Kazuki felt unsettled. _Why do I feel so tense?_

Juubei sensed his uncertainness. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Kazuki lied.

"Is he still there?"

"Yes."

"Is he moving?"

"Yes," Kazuki whispered. "He's … turning our way … he –"

Kazuki stopped talking abruptly when the boy's eyes landed directly on him.

He had the biggest pair of blue eyes Kazuki had ever seen, and they stared down at him, wide open, like he hadn't expected Kazuki to be there. He wore a simple white nightgown that was too big for him and his dark hair hung limply over a small, pale, unexpressive face. What appeared to be a smudge of blood stroked his left cheek. Held in one hand was the arm of a filthy grey teddy bear.

"Kazuki, what is it?" Juubei's concerned voice broke through the eerie silence. "What is he doing?"

Kazuki's mouth felt suddenly dry. "He's looking at me."

The boy unexpectedly began a slow descent down the stairs, one hand holding the banister, the other letting the teddy bear drag along beside him. He barely made a noise except for the faint _thud_ his bear made while hitting each step. His eyes never left Kazuki's and the face remained emotionless.

"What's that noise?" Juubei asked, turning towards the boy, picking up on the slight thudding noise his cuddly toy made.

"He's dragging a teddy bear down the stairs."

"He's coming towards us?"

"He's stopped."

Kazuki kept his eyes on the boy when he stopped halfway down the stairs. His small hand dropped from the banister and flopped by his side. He lifted his tiny head slightly, as though he was analyzing Kazuki carefully.

He smiled then at Kazuki, his face transforming rapidly. A faint chuckle escaped the grinning lips.

Kazuki heart practically stopped. What had appeared to be an innocent-looking boy meters away had turned into something tremendously horrific. The boy's eyes had widened, and his grin frightened Kazuki to the core.

Juubei's other hand rested on Kazuki's shoulder.

Kazuki glanced at him momentarily.

"Kazuki, where is he now?"

"He's …" But Kazuki's answer died on his lips. He had only looked at Juubei for a spilt second.

The boy had disappeared.

* * *

Emishi's heart jumped and he shuffled back quickly, caught off guard. His back hit Shido's chest but he kept his eyes on the child standing in front of him.

"Shido?" Emishi's voice came out a faint whisper. "You can see her, can't you?"

"Yes," Shido replied. "Although I think she's a 'he'."

The child stared up at Shido and Emishi blankly through long dirty-blonde hair. Sharp cheekbones jutted out from a gaunt and muddy face. His plain shorts and t-shirt were riddled with dirt and muck and bandages hung around each of his arms, stained with dried blood. Shido noticed a faint wristband on one hand.

"He looks barely 10 years old," Emishi said. "Do you think he can hear me?" He stepped closer and held out a hand to the child.

Shido's animal senses instantly picked up on the danger. "Don't touch him!"

But his hand was already exposed to the child, and when two small hands reached out and clutched Emishi's arm it was too late.

Emishi saw the unexpected change on the boy's face. The mouth slowly curved and parted in a smile; the teeth barred together like fangs and the eyes were no longer blank but wide and roaming over Emishi's own surprised ones. He felt a dull throbbing pain in his arm and looked down at the tiny hands latched onto it.

The young boy's nails were digging so far into Emishi's skin that droplets of blood were dripping down his arm. When Emishi tried to grab the boy's hand his fingers seemed to go straight through it and the child's nails dug in further.

Emishi gritted his teeth against the pain of his skin being ripped away. "Let … go!" he demanded, knowing for sure the child could hear him.

The boy's eyes never left Emishi's and he chuckled suddenly. The laugh sent a cold shiver down Emishi's spine.

Shido tried desperately to grab the boy's arm, but to his dismay he couldn't grab anything. Like Emishi his own hand when through the young lad's flesh. Instead he placed his hands over the boy's and pulled Emishi's arm. He could feel the fresh blood from his friend's skin trickle over his hand but couldn't feel the child's skin itself, although his own hands could be seen through the pale fingers.

"You heard him, you little bastard!" Shido snarled, anger rising in his chest. "Let go!"

"Shido," Emishi winced, amazed at how much pain a small child could create.

The boy looked at Shido and laughed.

Shido glared back at him. "_I said let go_!"

His eyes narrowed at Shido in reply, the face changing slowly. His expression took on one of boredom, and he released Emishi's arm suddenly, as though the pain he inflicted no longer satisfied him.

He giggled at Emishi's blooded arm and began to walk down the corridor.

"Hey, wait!" Shido yelled.

The boy turned back to him, his face breaking into another sickening grin before he trotted off down the corridor and disappeared down the stairs when he reached the end.

"Shido."

Shido turned back to Emishi and grabbed his arm gently. Deep scratches zigzagged over Emishi's skin and blood seeped from the wounds. _It's like the child had claws_.

"Are you okay?" Shido removed the band he wore around his head and began to wrap it around Emishi's arm.

"Just caught me off guard is all," Emishi replied with his quirky grin, "stung a little bit, too. Thanks, Shido."

"For what? You're the one that put your hand out to him, idiot."

"I know," Emishi said. "But I didn't think he'd latch onto me. Where do you think he came from, anyway? He appeared out of nowhere."

"You've just answered your own question there," Shido said.

"Is he the one Ginji saw?"

"Not sure," Shido said. "We never got an exact description from Ban, although he did say a boy. We'll have to find him and tell him about this."

"What about the boy?"

Shido shrugged. "Hopefully we won't run into him for a while."

As he said it, they both knew that even if they didn't run into the boy, it was probably likely he'd run back into them.

* * *

**Chapter Four End**

**To Be Continued In Chapter Five**

* * *

**Author's Note:** Sorry … I'm terrible, aren't I? However my internet has been down so I had no way of uploading. Now it's fixed I will try and update every 1-2 weeks. Saying that, it does take me a while to write a chapter and keep the story and characters in check. I try to imagine how they would react to the best of my abilities. It's not always easy, I must admit. Take this chapter, for instance … I've kept it short because I never like lengthy chapters but I hit a snag and the words didn't flow very well.

Writers' block is common though and sometimes I need to take breaks and come back to my stories. So if this chapter didn't meet your expectations, I apologize (it didn't reach mine, but hey, I don't expect my chapters to be brilliant all the time. Emishi's mishaps at the start kept me amused though – he's such a klutz!)

Once again thank you for all the encouraging reviews I've received. I very much appreciate them and it pleases me that you look forward to the following chapter – I just don't want to disappoint! So faster updates – check! No more rambling – check! Haha!

Aoi


	6. Chapter 5: Signs

**Based on the story:** _Getbackers_

**Written by:** aoi kodomo

**Full Summary:** The Getbackers finally get their hands on a mission they can really sink their teeth into. However, when the spiritual world starts to cross with reality, will the duo be able to tell the difference between what's real and what's not? Does the ability to communicate with the dead really exist?

**Author's Note:** All characters of _Getbackers_ are copyright to Rando Ayamine and Yuya Aoki. Any additional characters are copyright to me.

**Rating:** T

* * *

**Get Back the Sacred Jewel**

**Chapter Five:** Signs

* * *

"I see." Ban rubbed the back of his neck thoughtfully. He glanced down at Emishi's scratched arm. "I must admit my first thought was that you'd ticked off monkey boy here so much that he just gunned for you."

"No way!" Emishi protested. "Shido wouldn't hurt me!"

"Much," Shido added in a mutter.

Emishi turned to him. "What was that, Shido?!"

"Nothing."

Ban sighed. "Well, if what you saw was true, it can't be the same child Kazuki saw. Judging by his description the boy was quite dark haired and he held a bear in one hand."

"No," Emishi agreed. "Ours was blonde. He didn't have anything either … just my arm!"

"Looks like these kids aren't going to go easy on us," Ban said.

"What were you expecting?" Shido asked. "You knew they'd be a possibility of more than one, didn't you?"

"Did I say there would be?" Ban challenged.

"No, but –"

"If you want to leave," Ban said forcefully, "then _leave_."

Shido said nothing.

"Shido, you're not going to leave, are you?" Emishi asked. "They're just children, after all."

"If they're just children how come you couldn't handle _one_?" Shido demanded, turning in Emishi's direction.

"Well, I –"

"I'm not dropping out of the assignment," Shido said firmly. "I'm staying, Emishi."

Emishi smiled. He couldn't doubt his friend's commitment to a job. He was about to say so to him but Hajime suddenly appeared at his side, making him jump and stop in his tracks.

"Mr. Midou," Hajime greeted. "We have set up rooms for your friends on the first floor, next to yours and Mr. Amano's."

"That's fine, Mr. Matsumoto," Ban said. He pointed at Shido and Emishi. "You can put these two in Ginji's room though."

"We do have enough rooms to accommodate each person," Hajime said. "Would you like me to –?"

"No, it's fine," Ban smiled. "Thank you anyway. Kazuki and Juubei will need to share a room as well."

Hajime nodded. "Very well then. I shall move Mr. Amano to a different room also."

"No," Ban said quickly. "Ginji's sleeping in my room tonight."

A look of surprise flashed across Hajime's face before it was quickly replaced by his smooth, pale features. He coughed before nodding once more. "In that case, I shall make sure the rooms are prepared properly. Excuse me." He made a hasty retreat down the corridor and disappeared into one of the rooms.

Emishi watched him go and turned to Ban. "What was that about?"

"To hell if I know," Ban lied.

* * *

The storm had returned by the time the occupants of the Sakamuru mansion had retreated to their beds.

Huge bolts of lightning flashed across the sky, briefly lighting up the dark clouds before the night went black once again, followed by the deep rumble of thunder. Ginji looked on from the window of Ban's bedroom, watching the rain start to pour onto the Ladybug and run down the windscreen. Mr. Sakamuru's garden started to look like a swamp instead of a picture of cared-for nature. Another flash of lightning flickered briefly before his eyes.

"Wow, it's really coming down," he said, listening to the downpour of rain on the other side of the glass. A roar of thunder echoed above him.

"Storms are depressing me," Ban muttered. He was never fond of dark, rainy days.

"Maybe the sun will shine tomorrow!" Ginji grinned.

Ban smiled. "I won't get my hopes up. Hand me my cigarettes, would you?"

Ginji threw him his cigarettes and flopped on the bed. "Hey, did Shido and Emishi find anything today?" he asked.

Ban nodded. "Yeah, but we'll catch up with them tomorrow. I didn't get to talk to them much," he added, mentally cursing himself for lying.

Luckily Ginji didn't ask him any more. "Okay."

Ban removed a cigarette from the packet and lit up. He lifted a pillow from the bed and threw it at Ginji. It hit him with a soft _thurwmp_ in his face.

"Oomph!"

"Now go to bed," Ban smiled. "It's late."

Ginji laughed. "Yeah, yeah."

* * *

_When Ginji woke he discovered an empty space next to him. It took a while for his eyes to focus and the thought to cross his mind before he realized Ban was no longer there. He frowned, sat up and looked around the room before his eyes rested on the bathroom door. It was shut and a faint strip of light shone from underneath._

"_Ban? Hey Ban, are you in there?"_

_He heard the sound of the toilet flush and water running into the sink. The noise stopped and the light flickered off just as the door started to open._

_Ginji smiled. "Man, I thought you'd gone wondering some –"_

_He broke off suddenly when a face appeared between the small opening of the door._

_It wasn't Ban's._

_Two intense blue eyes stared back into the room, almost as deep and colorful as Ban's – but they weren't Ban's. Never had he seen a pair of eyes so wide and watchful, framed by stunningly thick lashes. He could only make out a small face and a whisper of hair. The eyes furiously looked around the room, scanning the ceiling, the floor, the windows._

_Then they settled on Ginji._

_Ginji jumped, startled. He could see the eyes get wider as they focused on him. His hand involuntarily reached out for the sheets and clutched them tightly. He swallowed the lump in his throat and fount his voice._

"_Hey … a-are you lost?" He wasn't sure what else he could say._

_A hand appeared around the door frame and opened it wider._

_He could now see all of the small, pale face and the dark hair that hung limply over the child's eyes. A tiny, muddy foot appeared within his vision as he stepped out of the bathroom._

_Ginji took it the tiny features and little body. Behind the grubby appearance, he could see a beautiful child. They stared at each other for what Ginji thought was forever. He kept his eyes focused on those eyes, as though looking away might break the image in front of him._

_The little boy opened his mouth slowly, but no sound came out._

"_Can you speak?" Ginji asked. He began to move from the bed._

_The child reached out to him._

_Ginji watched in horror as the arms of the boy suddenly began to stretch, the limps elongating and getting closer and closer towards him. The child remained unmoving and expressionless as his hands etched closer and closer, the fingers extending further. Sharp nails appeared from the small grubby fingers and clung to Ginji's arm, digging in._

"_Ugh!" Ginji tugged his arm to break free but the nails dug in deeper, drawing blood._

_He looked back at the child, his eyes roaming over the stretched and twisted skin. He felt sick._

"_Ugh, ow … let go!"_

_The boy chuckled suddenly, his mouth twisting into a grin, the eyes getting wider. One long arm came up and grabbed Ginji's throat, wrapping around it like a vice._

_Ginji brought his hands up to the fingers clutching his neck, preparing to shock them with electricity, but he couldn't grasp them. When he tried he just felt his own skin. He coughed and spluttered as the fingers got tighter._

_The boy giggled joyfully._

_Ginji glared at him beneath his eyes. The outer field of his vision started to go dark. _Oh God, he's trying to kill me!

"_G-grrgh … l-let go of me!" Ginji's whole world began to turn black. He tried to shout in desperation but all he could manage was a cough. The giggling began to sound faint and he heard the sound of footsteps and the creaking of opening and closing doors. Whispers fluttered around the room … kid's whispering. One, two, three … he couldn't count but knew there was more._

Ban ...

_Where was Ban?! Ginji gritted his teeth. "B-Ban!" he choked._

"_Ginji!"_

_He couldn't think … he couldn't breathe … no one was coming …_

Ban …

* * *

"Ginji!"

Someone was still clutching his throat. A heavy weight pushed him down and he couldn't move, couldn't get up. He began to thrash his arms about furiously. His hand suddenly came into contact with solid flesh. He clenched his fist and punched it as hard as he could.

"Hey!" a voice shouted. "What did you do that for?!"

Ginji opened his eyes abruptly but couldn't make out that the figure looming over him was Ban. In his mind's eye he could still see the child. Those hideous, elongated arms. Those roaming eyes … _Oh God, that grin_ …

He shouted out, struggling to break free. "No! Let go! Let go of me!" His fist connected with Ban's stomach.

Ban gasped as the wind was knocked out of him momentarily. He felt his temper go up a notch. _That's it_! He grabbed Ginji's arms and pinned them down. His friend tried to kick him instead.

"Snap out of it, Ginji! You're having a nightmare!" Ban slapped him hard across the face.

Ginji stopped moving and looked up at him, shocked. Ban could see his eyes coming into focus as they ran over his face.

"B-Ban?"

"Yeah, who did you think it was?" Ban demanded. "Jesus, you didn't half punch me hard, doofus." He poked Ginji's forehead and moved away from him, grabbing his cigarettes off the nightstand.

Ginji sat up and looked at the bathroom door. It was open. No one was there.

Ban took a cigarette and lit up, taking a deep drag. "Ginji?" he asked.

"What?"

"You might as well tell me what happened after waking me up and trying to beat me senseless."

"I'm sorry."

Ban looked at him and sighed. "Don't be. I probably shouldn't have tried waking you up so roughly. Was it bad?"

Ginji nodded mutely.

"Tell me."

Ginji told him the best he could, though some parts were already appearing vague to him. "I can't even remember what he looked like," he muttered to Ban, trying to conjure up the image of the child. "All I can see is his arms reaching out … nails scratching deep into my arm before those tiny fingers wrapped around my throat so tightly … the chuckling and whispering … it felt so real …" He unconsciously lifted a hand to his neck.

"Let me look." Ban put his cigarette out and reached over. "Does it hurt?" he asked, pressing his thumb gently on Ginji's skin.

"No."

"Well, it's not bruised or marked so no matter how real it seemed to you it was just a dream in the end."

"Yeah …" Ginji sighed. "But the child … it was the same boy that I saw before."

"How do you know? You didn't see him properly the first time, either."

"I'm not sure how … I just … know it was him."

Ban said nothing and grabbed another cigarette.

"Ban."

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for waking me up."

Ban smiled. "Go back to sleep, idiot."

* * *

"An exorcism?! You've got to be kidding me!" Shido looked at Kazuki for back up.

"Actually, I think it's a good idea," Kazuki said. "Now that we know what we're dealing with."

"He knew it was ghosts in the first place!" Shido snapped, pointing a finger at Ban who was calmly biting into his breakfast. "So why should we waste our part of the fee for some old hag with a crystal ball?"

"We're not looking for someone who can confirm there are ghosts," Kazuki reasoned. "We need someone who can make them leave. This will make our job easier, Shido, even if it means cutting the recovery fee down."

"He's right," Emishi said. "The sooner we find what we're looking for and get out of here, the better. I don't know about you guys but I really don't want to be here any longer than I have to."

"And besides," Kazuki added. "If this person is dealing with the ghosts it means we can get on with the recovery mission."

Ban pushed his plate away and stood up from the table. "I'm going to make some calls."

"Ginji hasn't come down for breakfast yet," Emishi mentioned as Ban moved to leave.

"He's sleeping," Ban said shortly. _It took me ages to get him to go to sleep last night._

* * *

_It's dark … cold … damp …_

_Ginji opened his eyes. Why was it damp?_

_A droplet of water fell on his head and he looked up. Water leaked in through the cracks on the ceiling and was dripping steadily over the bed. Ginji could hear the rain pounding outside and the faint rumbles of thunder. A small slither of light shone through the curtains, giving the first indications of morning, although the rest of the room confided in darkness._

_Ginji got out of bed and pulled on his t-shirt. "I'll have to tell Hajime about that leak," he muttered to himself. "I bet Ban's already gone to breakfast."_

_Ginji went to the bathroom and ran cold water over his face. He felt well rested but when he looked in the mirror there were dark circles under his eyes. He reached up to touch his cheek when he spotted something peculiar._

"_Huh. What's that?" Ginji peered closer and examined the small marks on his neck. He pressed down on his skin and winced._

"_How did I do that?" He couldn't remember hurting himself or anyone hurting him._

_A clinking sound came from behind him and he spun around quickly. He laughed nervously when he realized the plug had fallen from the taps and was swinging against the side of the bath. He shrugged to himself and turned back._

_A boy's face stared back at him in the mirror._

_Ginji yelled, startled. He jumped back from the sink in fright._

_Two hands were pressed against the glass of the mirror, as though the boy was stuck and couldn't get out. Ginji could hear his hands as they tapped against the glass. He watched, amazed, as the boy moved one hand towards the edge of the mirror and it disappeared from view before returning to its original position. All the while the boy looked at him and continued tapping on the glass._

_Ginji frowned and leaned forward. He lifted his hand cautiously and tapped his knuckle against the mirror._

_The boy tapped his knuckle back._

_Ginji raised his hand to the mirror and pressed it against the glass._

_The boy moved his hand across and pressed it where Ginji's was, positioning his fingers in the exact same spot. Ginji moved his hand downwards and the boy did the same._

_Ginji turned and looked the boy in the eyes. "Are you trapped?" he asked._

_The child said nothing and continued to look at where his and Ginji's hand met._

"_Can you hear me?" Ginji asked._

_The boy looked at him then and nodded._

_As Ginji's face broke into a soft smile, the boy's face began to change also. Gone were the cute, rounded features and in place a wide grin began to take over. The eyes no longer seemed scared but obsessed, filled with power and determination. The mouth opened and saliva started to dribble between the parted lips._

_Ginji took his hand away from the mirror and stumbled back in shock. Recognition of the child began to set in his mind._

"_Y-you …"_

_The boy giggled. He leaned forward and licked the mirror, running his tongue down the glass slowly, leaving a trail of saliva, his teeth showing like fangs. When he pulled away he stuck his tongue back out at Ginji. It was covered in blood._

_Ginji stared at him with a mixture of confusion and fear._

_The boy lifted his finger and licked the tip. There, on the surface of the mirror, he began to write slowly._

_Ginji watched him do this, reading the words backwards. As the writing came into focus, he felt his chest tighten even more. The letters were jaggered but he could read clearly:_

_M I D O U B A N_

_A M A N O G I N J I_

_The boy moved his hand away when he had finished the 'I' on Ginji's name. He smiled, licking his fingertip again before raising it to the glass. Whilst looking at Ginji, the toothy grin still in place, he drew a clear line of blood through Ban's name._

* * *

**Chapter Five End**

**To Be Continued In Chapter Six**

* * *

**Author's Note:** Ah, I'm sorry – please forgive me again. My updating is slow as usual. But now that schools are out I'm hopeful I'll have more time for writing.

I want to say a big thank you to the reviews I've received thus far and to those of you that have added my story to your favorites and alert lists, again thank you! It means a lot and to be added as one of your favorite authors pleases me also.

Thank you for your kind words and I look forward to seeing you all in chapter six!

Aoi


	7. Chapter 6: Confirmation

**Based on the story:** _Getbackers_

**Written by:** aoi kodomo

**Full Summary:** The Getbackers finally get their hands on a mission they can really sink their teeth into. However, when the spiritual world starts to cross with reality, will the duo be able to tell the difference between what's real and what's not? Does the ability to communicate with the dead really exist?

**Author's Note:** All characters of _Getbackers_ are copyright to Rando Ayamine and Yuya Aoki. Any additional characters are copyright to me.

**Rating:** T

* * *

**Get Back the Sacred Jewel**

**Chapter Six:** Confirmation

* * *

Ginji sat bolt upright in bed. Sweat trickled down his forehead in slow drips and the bed sheets clung to his skin like glue. He brought his knees up to his chest and rested his elbows on them, holding his head in his hands. 

_I woke myself up this time_. But despite this thought the realness of the dream hit Ginji hard. He looked up, scanning the room quickly.

_Ban …_

Where was Ban?!

Just as he started to panic, the door clicked open and Ban walked in.

"Yo, morning," he greeted. "Or I should say afterno – "

He stopped mid-sentence when he saw Ginji and his face took on a look of shock and concern. He walked over to the bed and leaned over.

"What's wrong, Ginji?"

"Ban …" Ginji's voice came out barely a whisper.

"What is it?" Ban prompted gently. "Did you have another nightmare? Tell me."

Ginji looked at the ceiling. Where he saw water coming through the ceiling before was completely dry now and nothing appeared damp, although he could still hear the heaviness of the rain falling outside, followed by the faint rumble of thunder.

Ban followed his gaze, frowning when it rested on the ceiling. "What is it?" he asked again.

Ginji shook his head. "Nothing."

"What?"

"It's nothing," he repeated.

"Don't tell me it's nothing," Ban said austerely. "I know you've got something to say, so say it."

Ginji sighed and said nothing.

"Ginji!"

Ginji wrapped his arms around his legs and rested his chin on his knees. He stared straight ahead at the bathroom and began to relay his dream to Ban.

* * *

After Ginji had told him every last detail he could remember, Ban stayed with him while he showered and changed, reassuring him that there was nothing in the bathroom and not a single letter of writing on the mirror and that his safety wasn't in any danger. Saying this, Ban could feel a slither of doubt creeping into his sub-consciousness, telling him that maybe, yes, he was in danger and that Ginji's dream held a sign he couldn't ignore. 

The duo walked to the dining hall together where the others had remained since early morning, discussing their current situation and where they should go from here.

Ban walked up behind Shido and abruptly moved his chair out from under him. "Yo, that's my seat."

"You bastard you weren't sat there before!" Shido snapped, standing up and clenching his hands tightly.

"I'm sat here now," Ban deadpanned, lighting up a cigarette.

"You –!"

"Ah, Shido, it's okay!" Ginji stepped in front of Shido and held up his hands. He smiled reassuringly at him. "You can sit between me and Emishi."

Shido groaned and bowed his head. "That's even worse," he muttered.

"What?" Ginji asked.

"It's nothing," Shido replied, sitting himself next to Emishi but keeping his chair away as far as he could.

Emishi grinned at him. "I bet you're missing Madoka, aren't ya, Shido buddy?"

Shido gave him a shady glance.

"But fear not, I have come to your rescue!" Emishi flashed him a 'peace' sign. "Oh yes! When you were in the deep slumbers of sleep last night I snuck downstairs and used Mr. Sakamuru's computer to send your beautiful Madoka a romantic lovey-dovey e-mail!"

Shido turned on him suddenly. "You did what?!" he spluttered.

"It took me a while, but I managed to find an e-mail address." Emishi nodded as though he had conquered a great quest, resting his chin on his hand. "I knew she'd have one because a girl who attends so many recitals would have some kind of booking or fandom system. I'm sure one of her servants will read it out for her."

"What did you put?!"

"No need to thank me, Shido!" Emishi laughed, patting his friend heartedly on his back.

"_What did you put_?!"

"Err, well, I can't remember the exact words but it went something like this …" Emishi cleared his throat. "Ahem. Oh, my dearest Madoka … how I miss thee. The comfort of your touch, the smell of your hair, the sweet, soft sound of your voice! Alas, the hours that pass by without your presence feel like years of sorrow in my empty heart! I long for the day we are reunited again, and then I will take you in my arms and bestow upon you a shower of kisses. Then I will –"

Shido was already beating Emishi senseless before any of the others had a chance to rescue him.

* * *

After a short time of watching Shido try to cut off Emishi's air supply and Kazuki and Juubei attempts to break them apart, Ban put out his cigarette and told Ginji he was taking a walk. When Ginji moved to get up he put a hand on his shoulder and pressed him back into his seat. 

"It's okay," Ban smiled. "I'm going to see Mr. Sakamuru to give him an update. There's no need for you to come with me. Stay here and eat something."

"But –"

"Nothing's going to happen to me, Ginji," Ban replied firmly. "Say, I'll go find Hajime first and he can come with me. Okay?"

Ginji nodded. "Yeah, okay."

Ban grinned and ruffled his hair. "Besides, someone's got to stay and watch this crazy bunch before they kill each other." He gave Ginji a reassuring thumbs-up and made a swift retreat.

Ginji sighed, turning back to the others.

"You bastard I'll rip you to ribbons for this!" Shido's voice suddenly bellowed. Ginji's hair almost stood on end from the outburst.

All Shido received in response were choking sounds from Emishi.

"Shido stop, you'll end up killing him!" Kazuki said, trying to pull the beast master away.

"I'm not going to kill him. I'm just going to do some body modifications on him!"

"I don't think that's wise," Juubei replied, attempting to pry Shido's fingers away from Emishi's neck.

"In that case I'll just kill him!"

Ginji shrugged to himself, reached out and grabbed Shido's arm. Kazuki and Juubei quickly removed themselves away from him. Emishi managed to pry himself away from Shido's grasp just as Ginji spoke.

"Shido."

"_What?!_"

Ginji struck with a smirk.

"_GGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!!_"

* * *

Ban stumbled across Hajime in the entrance hall and asked him to accompany him to Mr. Sakamuru. Hajime was only too pleased to do so. They walked up to the second floor where Mr. Sakamuru had an office adjacent to his bedroom. 

When they reached the door Hajime turned to Ban and bowed. "You will find him in there. If you'll excuse me, I have to continue with my duties."

"Wait a second, Hajime," Ban said. "I would like to talk to you both."

Hajime frowned slightly but then nodded. "I have no objections with that, if that's what you wish."

Ban nodded. "It is." He knocked on the door and when he heard a faint 'come in' he pushed it open.

Mr. Sakamuru's upstairs office was a lot bigger than the one on the ground floor. He had floor-to-ceiling shelves around the far wall, with a gap in between two that portrayed the huge bay window. A large wooden desk stood in the middle of the room, centered on the extraordinary picture of a pentagram that was displayed on the old wooden floor. The room was filled with trinkets and ornaments, which at first sight appeared cluttered and untidy, but it was clear they were well cleaned and displayed, as a speck of dust couldn't be seen.

Mr. Sakamuru was sat in a large leather chair and he appeared deep in thought over some papers on his desk. He glanced up when the door opened and broke into a smile when he saw Ban and Hajime.

"Hajime! Mr. Midou!" He greeted them warmly, moving away from his desk to shake Ban's hand and pat Hajime's back heartedly. "My, I don't think I've seen you in a while! It feels like I've been locked in this room for weeks! To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Do you have a moment?" Ban asked. "I would like to talk to you about something."

"Of course!" Mr. Sakamuru replied. "Go right ahead."

Ban stared intently at Mr. Sakamuru over his glasses. He decided to get straight to the point. "Mr. Sakamuru, are there ghosts in this mansion?"

In the moment's stunned silence Mr. Sakamuru and Hajime exchanged awkward glances. It passed so quickly that Ban almost missed it, but then he caught Mr. Sakamuru's eye when he turned back to face him.

"What makes you think that?" he asked.

"You didn't answer my question," Ban said.

Mr. Sakamuru sighed and gave a brief nod. "Yes, there are."

"I see."

Mr. Sakamuru moved back to his desk and sat down. He placed his elbows on the desk and rested his chin on entwined fingers. "So you've seen them?" he asked Ban.

Ban nodded. "Yes."

"My apologies," Mr. Sakamuru said sincerely. "I was hoping they would not appear."

"They?"

"You are a smart man, Mr. Midou," Mr. Sakamuru said. "Tell me, do you have any intuition about what this place was before?"

"I do," Ban replied.

"When I say 'they', I was referring to the children, Mr. Midou," Mr. Sakamuru explained. "They have been here for as long as I can remember; even when I was a child. I have clear memories of them."

"We weren't informed of this when we started the assignment, Mr. Sakamuru," Ban said, emphasizing his point clearly.

"Please understand, Mr. Midou," Hajime injected before Mr. Sakamuru could reply. "Mr. Sakamuru had good reasons not to tell you about the ghosts that wander this mansion."

"He's right," Mr. Sakamuru said. "I thought it might take your eye off the task ahead. Besides, the children are harmless."

Ban raised an eyebrow. "Harmless?"

"In the early years of my childhood, and the years I came back and forth to this mansion, I have never encountered danger from these spirits, which is all I believe they are, lost spirits."

Ban pushed his glasses further up his nose. "Is that so?"

"How many of them would you say you've encountered up till now?" Mr. Sakamuru asked.

"Three," Ban replied. "Although two may have been the same child." Ban did not include Ginji's dreams in that number; however his partner did say it was the same child he saw the first time. "I haven't seen them, the others have."

"Do you have any idea of how many children there are?" Mr. Sakamuru asked.

Ban nodded. "I've looked into it."

"Did the number surprise you?"

"It was higher than I expected."

Mr. Sakamuru nodded. "If you wish to pull out of this assignment, I'll understand."

"Who said anything about pulling out?" Ban asked. "I didn't come here to quit the assignment. But I cannot let the job continue in this way. These are not the harmless spirits you grew up with, Mr. Sakamuru. It seems they are showing us a different face."

Mr. Sakamuru and Hajime exchanged another glance.

"A different face?"

"We are not safe to continue our assignment with these children here," Ban said. "Emishi and Ginji have already sustained grievance from, as you call them, _harmless_ _spirits_. We cannot search this mansion properly until they leave."

Mr. Sakamuru sighed. "You say this, Mr. Midou, but I assure you that countless of attempts have been made to encourage these children to move on. None have ever worked."

"Were you present when these attempts were made?" Ban asked.

"I was," Mr. Sakamuru replied. "Hajime has also been with me on some occasions. My father tried exorcisms, several priests and a number of incantations. When I returned to the mansion to live here I also tried the same methods. Hajime and I eventually decided that if the children did not want to leave, we would leave them be. This is the first time they have brought harm to our guests."

"When did you last try, Mr. Sakamuru?" Ban enquired. "To get rid of the children?"

"After my father died, I moved straight back into the mansion," Mr. Sakamuru said. "I hired someone to come and exorcise the ghosts then but the effort made was in vain. That was almost a year ago."

"You haven't tried since?"

"No. We decided that if we went to all this trouble each time and the children were still here, it was easier to let them be and manage to live with them."

"Have they ever tried to harm you?" Ban asked.

"Not once," Mr. Sakamuru replied. "I see the children frequently, but they have never imposed any danger on myself or Hajime. Their activity seems to consist of wandering aimlessly along the corridors."

Ban turned to Hajime. "What about you?"

"There has been numerous times where I see the children in the corridors. They will sometimes walk alongside me or disappear into one of the rooms," Hajime replied.

"Can you hear them?" Ban asked.

"Sometimes," Hajime said. "I hear the odd faint whisper and giggling. Some of the children try to speak but the sentences cannot be made out."

"Do they look unhappy?"

"This may depend on the child," Mr. Sakamuru said. "Some of the children we encounter will appear sad, some will appear content and some will appear expressionless. We cannot always fathom what they are thinking."

"I see then." Ban shoved his hands in his pockets while he digested this information. "One more thing," he said. "Can you touch them?"

Mr. Sakamuru shook his head. "We can't. However they can touch us, as strange as that is."

"What do they do? When they touch you?"

"Nothing," Mr. Sakamuru said. "On most occasions a child will just brush my arm with his or her fingers."

"Hajime?" Ban asked.

"The same thing happens to me," Hajime replied. "The children have never seemed to intend harm. Sometimes one will grab my hand and hold onto it tight. But after a minute he or she has always let go."

"What kind of harm have they inflicted on your friends, Mr. Midou?" Mr. Sakamuru asked.

Ban gave him a brief outline of the incidents that had happened to Ginji and Emishi. Although neither had sustained serious injuries it wasn't something that they could just ignore. A small graze or a bruise could lead to something bigger and more serious. Ban did not disclose Ginji's dreams as his friend had not received any injury from this, although the potential harm was there. Ban feared for his partner's mental state more than anything. If Ginji continued to have these realistic dreams, then his mind might not be able to handle it.

Mr. Sakamuru nodded in understanding when Ban had finished. "I can see why this would concern you," he said, "in case such other dangers were to arise. Is there anything in particular you would like me to do? Or perhaps I can help with?"

Ban shook his head. "No. I had a hunch to begin with that the children had been here for some time, and I was under the impression you or Hajime might have connected with them on an emotional level. If that's not the case, I would like to try and exorcise these ghosts myself, even if it means using some of your previous methods."

"Very well," Mr. Sakamuru said kindly. "I have no objections. After all, I believe spirits need to move on from time to time. Wouldn't you agree, Hajime?"

Hajime nodded. "Yes. The children have been here for some time now."

"Hmm, from what I've gathered it seems they've been here before your family, Mr. Sakamuru," Ban said.

"Perhaps," Mr. Sakamuru said. "Unfortunately I do not know if the children were here in past times. I would assume so. Would you like me to look into it?"

"That's not necessary," Ban said. "I have my own reliable source." He smiled. _Paul's got some work ahead of him_.

* * *

**Chapter Six End**

**To Be Continued In Chapter Seven**

* * *

**Author's Note: **Hmm, seems I'm having a little writer's block – sorry about that, folks. This is a short one but I didn't feel like writing much more because it would have deflected the whole concept of the next chapter (you'll see!). 

Thank you everyone for your continued support and kind words! So far it has been an enjoyable piece of fanfiction to write. I'm having fun with it. Writing about supernatural things can be tricky but I'll keep trying. It makes me so happy that some people have said reading this story is like imagining an episode (haha it would be funny if it was, poor Shido got a lot of attention in this one)! That pleases me so much! Thank you!

See you in chapter 7!

Aoi


	8. Chapter 7: Plan A!

**Based on the story:** _Getbackers_

**Written by:** aoi kodomo

**Full Summary:** The Getbackers finally get their hands on a mission they can really sink their teeth into. However, when the spiritual world starts to cross with reality, will the duo be able to tell the difference between what's real and what's not? Does the ability to communicate with the dead really exist?

**Author's Note:** All characters of _Getbackers_ are copyright to Rando Ayamine and Yuya Aoki. Any additional characters are copyright to me.

**Rating:** T

* * *

**Get Back the Sacred Jewel**

**Chapter Seven:** Plan A!

* * *

When Ban left Mr. Sakamuru's office Shido was waiting for him outside. The beast master stood leant against the wall opposite, his arms folded, one foot crossed over the other. He lifted his head when he heard the door open. 

The two stared at each other for a while. Ban closed the door and started to walk down the corridor. He reached for his cigarettes and lit up.

Shido walked a few paces behind him. "You asked him about the kids, didn't you?"

Ban said nothing.

"Well," Shido demanded. "What did he say?"

Ban blew the excess smoke from his cigarette up towards the ceiling and turned to Shido. He smiled. "He said that the kids attack guys that smell like animals."

Shido chose to ignore the insult. "What did he say about the children?" he asked again.

Ban shrugged. "He said they've been here for as long as he and Hajime can remember and that they were _harmless_."

"Harmless?"

Ban nodded. "They've never done anything to hurt Mr. Sakamuru or Hajime."

They walked down the steps to the first floor corridor.

"So what were you planning to do?" Shido asked.

"Not too sure yet," Ban replied. "Probably hire someone to try and get rid of them. That might prove harder than we first thought as it's been done before."

"So why waste time if it's not going to work?"

Ban glanced sideways at him. "Do you want to carry on with this assignment with ghosts running around trying to hurt you? Don't forget we can't touch them. If we carry on like this we're not going to get anywhere."

"But they're just kids," Shido said.

"In any case," Ban said, "we can't touch them because they're already dead. When people die their spirits shouldn't need to stay here, don't you think?"

"Are you going to tell Ginji?"

"Of course I am," Ban said. "He's knows there's something in this place. If we hire someone to get rid of the problem we can carry on with the assignment in the meantime."

"What if it doesn't work?"

Ban didn't know, but he wasn't about to say so to Shido. "We try something else," he said instead.

* * *

Mrs. Asana Kawayuki insisted she was in top-notch shape at the age of 60 as she still possessed her youthful features and a head-turner of a body. She was in fact a 75 year old woman practically at death's door and her crinkled-up body, which was thankfully hidden behind a kimono, was definitely a 'head-turner', although probably not in a way she thought it was. Her 'youthful features' consisted of long grey hair tied back and a nest of crows feet next to her beady eyes. 

Shido watched in horror as she crawled (she was bent over so far he thought her head would smash against the floor if it wasn't for Emishi supporting her) through the door to the Sakamuru mansion and sniffed around it curiously.

_What are you, a drug dog?_ Shido kept this question to himself.

"Oh my," she wheezed, "what a big place."

Shido grimaced. Every breath she took sounded like her last.

Her beaded black eyes suddenly settled on him. "ARE YOU BAN MIDOU?!" she boomed.

Shido practically jumped out of his skin. From first impressions he didn't think her voice could even reach that loud. "I'm not deaf!" he snapped.

Mrs. Kawayuki mistook this for 'Are you deaf?' "OF COURSE I'M NOT DEAF!" she yelled.

Emishi laughed and ran back outside to collect her luggage.

"I said _I'm not deaf_!" Shido repeated angrily. "You don't have to yell!"

"DON'T YELL AT ME DEAR!" she boomed back. "I CAN HEAR YOU!"

"You can't hear me, you deaf bat," Shido muttered under his breath.

She suddenly turned on him. "WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?!"

_Shit. How did she hear that?!_ "Nothing," Shido lied.

"WHAT?"

"Nothing!" Shido shouted.

"WHAT'S NOTHING?!"

Shido groaned. He saw Ban enter the entrance hall with Ginji and cornered him. "What kind of joke is this?" he hissed, while Ginji introduced himself to Mrs. Kawayuki. "How the hell is she supposed to exorcise these ghosts when she's not far from being a ghost herself?"

"Do you know how famous she is for this kind of thing?" Ban asked. "Paul did his research and she's the best in the business. She's been doing exorcisms for years."

"Centuries, you mean," Shido huffed.

"Would you prefer a teenage waving a cross about?" Ban demanded. "She's staying here for a few days so stop complaining. We're lucky to get her at such short notice. If she's as good as people say, we might just get somewhere. Besides," he added with a smirk. "She's cheap!"

Shido raised an eyebrow. "I can see why. No one would have her!"

"WHO WANTS ME?!" Mrs. Kawayuki suddenly appeared between them. She patted Shido arm with a wrinkled hand. "I'm flattered dear, but I think you may be a little too old for me."

Shido stepped back quickly. "What?!" he spluttered.

"I SAID YOU'RE TOO OLD FOR ME!" Mrs. Kawayuki yelled.

"_I heard you_!" Shido barked.

"WHAT'S THAT?!"

Shido was just about ready to throttle her when Emishi returned with her bags. He walked over to Shido and dropped a suitcase in his arms. "Here, carry this."

Shido arms nearly snapped under the weight. "What the hell is in this?!"

"At least you didn't have to carry it from the car," Emishi said. He turned to Mrs. Kawayuki and smiled. "This way Mrs. Kawayuki. I'll escort you to your room."

Mrs. Kawayuki giggled, but the actual sound that came out sounded like a cackle to Shido's ears. "My, such a polite boy," she said.

"Oh sure you can hear every word he says," Shido grunted, hauling the suitcase over one shoulder. "Why am I carrying this?" he asked Emishi. "Where's Hajime? Isn't this his job?"

"He's out with Mr. Sakamuru," Ginji answered with his boyish grin. "Isn't Mrs. Kawayuki sweet, Shido?"

Shido looked for any signs that he was joking. "You're kidding, right?"

"THE KITCHEN?!" Mrs. Kawayuki spookily emerged in front of Shido and shook her head furiously. "NO ONE SAID I HAD TO STAY IN THE KITCHEN!"

"You're not!" Shido replied.

"I'M NOT WHAT?!"

"In the kitchen!"

"BUT I DON'T WANT TO STAY IN THE KITCHEN!"

Shido lowered his head in defeat. "I can't deal with this."

* * *

"Oh, my …" Mrs. Kawayuki circled Kazuki like a hawk before coming to a halt opposite him. She reached up and touched his hair. "What beautiful hair you have. What I would give to be a young girl again." 

Kazuki shook his head. _Shido was lucky. He just threw her bags down and ran. To think that he couldn't even handle one old lady._ He sighed. "Mrs. Kawayuki, I told you, I'm a guy."

"There's nothing wrong with gay people, dear," Mrs. Kawayuki replied. "For such a stunning girl, I'm sure you'll make another woman happy."

Emishi snorted and turned his back on them. Kazuki could see the joker's shoulders shaking with laughter.

Kazuki smiled down at Mrs. Kawayuki. Not only was she old, she was small too. "Mrs. Kawayuki," he said slowly. "I'm a _boy_."

"A toy?" Mrs. Kawayuki shook her head. "Don't be silly dear, I haven't got a toy."

"No, you don't understand –"

"Oh! I have the _perfect_ kimono that you would look _adorable_ in!" Mrs. Kawayuki interrupted, clapping her tiny hands together and smiling up at him. "You _have_ to try it on sometime!"

Kazuki grimaced. "Err, no, I don't think –"

"I'm sure _she_ would love to, Mrs. Kawayuki," Emishi added, patting Kazuki's shoulder. "Isn't that right, Kazuki?" He grinned down at him but stopped blank when Kazuki gave him a terrifying 'death' glare.

"I'll kill you," Kazuki muttered, his face taking on a sudden dark look.

"Eh?!" Emishi jumped back. It wasn't often the thread master threatened him. "Eh heh … well, I better go. Hope the room's okay for you, Mrs. Kawayuki!"

"It's fine, dear," Mrs. Kawayuki replied. "So nice of lady Kazuki here to help me."

"Yes, well, until Hajime returns I'm sure lady Kazuki can get you anything you need!" Emishi gave Kazuki a thumbs-up and disappeared out of the room.

Kazuki's face shadowed over with annoyance and he clenched his fist. The bells on his hair let off the faintest _bbrring_.

"Oh!" Mrs. Kawayuki lifted her head. "Lady Kazuki, was that the doorbell?"

Kazuki stared at her in disbelief. _How is that possible?! Most of the time she can't even hear _me_ speak!_

"Well, dear," Mrs. Kawayuki smiled, "aren't you going to get it?"

Kazuki took that as the perfect opportunity to leave.

* * *

"She's eccentric," Shido said. He had practically ran from Mrs. Kawayuki's room after dumping her suitcase on the floor and making a tactful retreat before Emishi got him to do anything else. Luckily for him the joker had caught Kazuki walking down the corridor on his escape out. 

"You can't handle anything, can you?" Ban implored, letting his cigarette hang loosely from his lips. He slid down the wall and crouched on his knees as he puffed away.

"What was that?" Shido demanded. "You really think this old woman is going to be able to help?"

Ban shrugged. "That's what we're going to find out."

"Sounds like a dead plan to me," Shido said. He stood beside the window and watched the rain continue to fall in sheets. If it wasn't for such horrendous weather conditions he had a feeling he would quite easily want to pull out of the assignment. This job was going down a different path to what he had first started on.

Shido shoved his hands into his pockets. "Hey, Midou."

"What?"

"If this is for Ginji," Shido implied, "why not stay somewhere else? A hotel maybe."

"I told Ginji before that we could stay in a different place," Ban replied. "He didn't want to."

Shido turned his back on the rain. "He's stubborn."

Ban sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Yup." He stood up and crushed his cigarette into the nearest plant pot before heading towards the main staircase.

"Where are you going?" Shido asked.

"Why?" Ban smirked. "Are you worried about me?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Shido retorted. He gave a 'humph!' and turned back to the window.

Ban smiled. "I'm going to fetch some more cigarettes."

"Whatever," came Shido's reply.

* * *

Ban wasn't sure if the excessive chain smoking was doing him any good, but considering the situation they were in, he figured one more couldn't hurt. As he walked down the lonely corridor he fount himself already thinking about his next smoke. _Man, I should put my cigarette charges in with the fee_, he thought. But then again, whenever he ran out Mr. Sakamuru always bought him a packet back, at no charge. He was definitely one of the nicest clients he and Ginji had had. 

Ban strolled past one of the tall windows and peeked outside. The rain continued to pound against the glass and the sky was beginning to turn gray as the afternoon settled in.

Ban sighed and pushed his glasses further up his nose. The assignment had stretched out to almost a week now and progress wasn't moving. They were just dodging obstacles to _get_ progress moving.

Ban watched a zigzag of lightning dance across the sky. "You're not helping," he muttered, hoping the God of weather Gods would cut back on the extreme pattern. He shoved his hands in his pockets and began to make his way to his room.

_Sqqqueeeaakk_

The sound came abruptly. A hand sliding down glass.

Ban stopped in his tracks and turned around. He retraced his steps and ended up back in front of the window.

_Sqqqueeeaakk_

A flicker of lightning lit up the outer area of the window but nothing appeared near it. Ban scanned the corridor, feeling surprisingly calm. He was alone.

_Sqqqueeeaakk_

Ban frowned and examined the other windows. But the further he walked down the corridor the fainter the noise became, so he ended up back at the same window. He grabbed the frame and tugged but the window was locked. Opening it wasn't an option, yet the noise continued.

_Sqqqueeeaakk_

Ban stepped back from the window and fixed his gazed ahead. "Okay," he said, making his voice loud and firm. "I think that's enough."

Faint laughter suddenly echoed around the corridor, seemingly emerging from each and every corner. Ban turned his head in every direction but he was still alone.

He chuckled suddenly, staring over the rim of his glasses. "What?" he challenged, his voice echoing down the corridor.. "You think I'm afraid?"

A hand appeared from the top of the window. The glass was huge in size and loomed over Ban's height level, so he did not see the tiny fingers emerge on the outside until they tapped on the glass.

Ban looked up, stepping further back to get a better view. His eyes settled on the small hand.

The palm spread outwards and slid along the glass, making a path in the stream of water. Ban watched as it crept down further, revealing a wrist, followed by an elbow. Another hand appeared a little further along the width of the glass.

Ban stood completely still with his hands in his pockets, not scared, but curious. He found himself wanting to see what the others had seen that he had not.

From what he could see of the arms slithered down the glass ever so slowly. He knew that the occupant of those arms knew he could see them and that he was waiting, the first signs of apprehension beginning to rise in his chest.

A trail of hair came into view, the strands dripping wet but lightly colored. Ban wondered how the hell the person was holding themselves up so high. On the outside the windows only had small ledges above and below them. Right now it would be too wet and slippery to hang on. Of course the hands weren't even _hanging_ on.

_I guess anything's possible when you're dead_, Ban thought, waiting patiently. His eyes never left the window in front of him.

A forehead suddenly appeared. Slowly the features of the face came into view and Ban spotted two wide eyes, a button nose and a tiny mouth. Water streamed down the small face in sheets. Finally the child seized movement completely and just stared at Ban.

Ban stared back. His eyes locked on the young boy's face. The look of innocence was overwhelming. Ban saw nothing harmful in that face.

He smiled up at the boy, feeling neither fear nor valor. "Hey, it's a little cold to be out there, don't you think?" He raised his voice so it would travel through the glass.

The boy remained motionless.

Ban rubbed the back of his neck. "You can hear me, can't you?"

The boy still didn't move.

"Well? Come down." _I desperately need a cigarette now_.

The boy's hands squeaked further down the glass. Ban could see a band on one of his wrists. Bony shoulders came into view. The tiny fingers began to make patterns along the glass. Ban couldn't make out if he was attempting to write something. Any line made was washed away by the heavy downfall of water.

Ban frowned. "If you're trying to tell me something, I'm not getting it."

The boy's face took on an expression of anxiousness and his fingers moved faster along the glass. Occasionally he would tap the window and point at Ban.

_This isn't a child that Ginji describe at all_. Ban shook his head. "I don't know what you want," he said.

In reply he just received more tapping.

Ban sighed. "Listen! I –" _What the –_

Something red trickled down the glass and stopped him abruptly. He watched, confusion building in his mind at the stream of crimson blood that inaugurated a steady course down the outside of the window. Ban ran to the glass and looked up. The child continued to stare at him but seemed in no pain, although his expression appeared saddened. Ban could not see anymore past his shoulders so could not fathom whether he was hurt or not.

"I don't know what you want," Ban repeated now, watching what blood had appeared be washed away by the rain.

The boy frowned at him, but then his eyes rested on something behind Ban and they began to widen rapidly.

The sudden change made Ban uneasy. "What is it?"

As soon as he spoke the boy removed his hands from the window and disappeared from view.

"Hey!" Ban pressed his body to the glass and cranked his neck to look up.

He couldn't see anything. The child had vanished.

Ban ran a hand over his face and sighed. _Geez, that was weird. What was –_

He felt a tug on his hand and glanced down, peering through his fingers.

The boy's face smiled back at him.

* * *

**Chapter Seven End**

**To Be Continued In Chapter Eight**

* * *

**Author's Note:** -Insert spooky music here- 

Haha I hope everyone has spooky music playing.

Anyway … I've still got a little writer's block. I'm hoping it will go soon. So I'm _really_ sorry for the late update.

This chapter came out a little odd. Mrs. Kawayuki was really fun to write. She'll be an amusing character, I can tell. Adding additional characters can be tricky but I wanted to create someone who would be amusing and a little difficult (I think Shido will continue to express his dislike towards her … I do like to torment him! It was fun to write Shido all flustered and annoyed – I can easily picture him reacting the way he did! Haha poor Shido).

Many thanks to those who have added my story to your alert list! I'm more appreciative of this then you'll ever imagine. It pleases me so much. Also, I have added my contact address in my profile so if anyone has any queries, or would just generally like to chat, you can find my e-mail there. I usually spend my time on MSN when I write so I can take little breaks.

Again many thanks! I should stop blabbering now and march on ahead to chapter eight. I hope to see you there!

Aoi


	9. Chapter 8: Target

**Based on the story:** _Getbackers_

**Written by:** aoi kodomo

**Full Summary:** The Getbackers finally get their hands on a mission they can really sink their teeth into. However, when the spiritual world starts to cross with reality, will the duo be able to tell the difference between what's real and what's not? Does the ability to communicate with the dead really exist?

**Author's Note:** All characters of _Getbackers_ are copyright to Rando Ayamine and Yuya Aoki. Any additional characters are copyright to me.

**Rating:** T

* * *

**Get Back the Sacred Jewel**

**Chapter Eight:** Target

* * *

Ban's eyes widened in sudden shock as he took in the face before him. 

_The same face …_

He stared at the boy, then turned to the window, before turning back to the boy again. He wasn't wet but it was the same kid. He was positive of it.

The face that stared up at him no longer appeared scared. Instead the expression was replaced by a childish smirk. Ban noticed the eyes seemed different, but he couldn't put his finger on it. He looked down at his hand. The boy still had hold of it.

Ban removed his hand from his face and stepped away from the kid. "Let go," he said.

The boy's eyes closed and he grinned up at him.

"That's cute," Ban muttered sarcastically. "Now let go." He gave his arm a small tug but the child held on with both hands. A strange feeling of caution began to settle over him. He desperately wanted the kid to let go.

The boy opened his eyes and stared at Ban, the grin never leaving his face.

Ban tried to pull his arm away. He felt the child's fingers tighten on his skin, not painful, but firm. He attempted to grab the boy's hands with his own, but all he could see and feel was his own arm through them.

He could feel anger begin to well in his chest. "I said _let go_," he snapped.

As soon as the words left his mouth the boy's face began to change.

The eyes glared up at him and the smile disappeared completely. Ban saw the anger instantly emerge in that young face and felt his own anger disappear just as quickly. He could tell almost immediately what the kid was going to do.

The child opened his mouth wide and screamed.

The sound pierced Ban's ears harshly, like chalk scraping down a blackboard. It was so high-pitched he could feel the tension throbbing in his temples. He covered one ear with his hand and tried to pull his other away.

The child continued to scream. His fingernails dug into Ban's arm sharply.

"Damn brat, let go!" Ban growled.

"Ban!"

Ban turned at the sound of his name. The screaming stopped abruptly and when he turned back the child had gone.

The sound of running footsteps approached and Shido emerged from the stairway. He glanced cautiously around the corridor before moving to Ban's side.

"What the hell was that?" he asked.

Ban rubbed the scratches on his arm. _Little brat_. "You heard that?"

"I can't be the only one who did," Shido replied, shoving his hands in his pockets.

Ban glanced at Shido over the rim of his glasses before making his way down the corridor. "I need a cigarette."

Shido followed a few steps behind. "So you saw one of the kids? I don't think I've ever heard a sound from them apart from weird giggling."

"I saw one all right," Ban said. "Twice. Looks like I got an extra package."

"Never heard one scream like that before," Shido muttered. "The brats."

"Yeah well, hopefully those brats won't be here much longer," Ban said, disappearing into his and Ginji's room. "If Mrs. Kawayuki is as good as she – _what the hell happened in here?!_"

Shido blinked at the sudden outburst before stepping into Ban's room.

His first thought was, _where's the window_? The fact that the bed was standing in front of it didn't come to him until a few seconds after.

The room looked like a dump. Clothes were scattered all around the room and the wallpaper had been ripped clean off the walls. The curtains were ripped and the nightstand was upside down, the lamp shattered next to it.

Shido peered in the bathroom. The door had been pulled away from the hinges and was now lying in the bath tub.

Ban knelt down and pulled his cigarette packet from under the bed post. It had been flattened but Ban continued to crush it with his fist.

"Bastards," he muttered, clenching the cigarette pack with ever-growing frustration.

"Looks like we're dealing with some pranksters," Shido said, picking up a piece of glass from the broken lamp.

"Yeah." _Damn, I wanted a smoke so badly_.

"They must know we're trying to get rid of them."

"Idiot. Of course they know!" Ban snapped.

"Hey, don't get sour with me because your precious cigarettes got squashed!"

Ban's glare came at him through devil's eyes. "I wouldn't piss me off if I was you."

Shido could feel the frustration coming off in waves. It just encouraged him more.

"Oh?" he grinned sarcastically. "What a shame. It must be hard, being addicted to something then suddenly being deprived of it."

"I'll deprive you of breathing if that's what you want," Ban growled.

Shido glared back at him. "You couldn't touch me if you tried."

"Is that so?!"

"It's a fact!"

Ban smirked evilly. "Why don't we test that theory of yours?"

Shido grinned back. "Why don't we?"

Shido was just about to beat some sense into him when Ban suddenly lunged forward and grabbed him around the waist, forcing him back. As Shido stumbled backwards, he felt the broken lamp miss his head by an inch before it crashed on the other side of the room. He hit the floor hard. Ban landed heavily on top of him.

Shido struggled to get up with Ban's weight on him. As he hauled himself into a sitting position the lamp started to move across the floor. Ban began to lift his head as it flew back at them.

"Get down!"

Shido grabbed the back of Ban's neck and pulled his head down abruptly, lowering his own face for protection. The lamp smashed against his lower arms; Shido winced as the broken shards cut into his skin. He lifted his face and watched the object roll back across the floor.

He released Ban's head and lifted his arms to check them. He could see tiny bits of glass embedded in his skin but the wounds weren't deep.

Ban shifted his weight and rubbed the back of his neck. "Damn, you didn't have to pull so hard!"

"Whatever," Shido muttered, licking the blood that started to trickle down his arm.

The sound of footsteps echoed along the corridor. The two looked up as Emishi burst into the room. Ginji appeared seconds behind him.

"Guys! What happened?" Emishi glanced down and his face changed suddenly. "Oooh, I see."

Ban stood up and frowned at him. "What?"

"No need to get off Shido on my account, "Emishi grinned teasingly. "You must have gone at him full-pelt to get him to the floor. Ban, I am surprised, I must say. If you wanted some alooone time you should have said."

Shido bolted upright so quickly he hit his head on the wall behind.

"Oww …"

"To think, all this time you had a love-hate relationship," Emishi cooed. "What a drama this is turning out to be! To come into a room to find Ban laying on top of you –"

"_SAY WHAT_?!"

" – You wanted some tête-à-tête, it's understandable, but to do it in these circumstances! What on earth will Madoka think?" Emishi smiled devilishly at Shido.

Shido glared at him. "You wouldn't."

Emishi laughed. "I'm not that devious!" He reached out and grabbed Shido's hand. "Besides I can piece together what happened. C'mon, I'll help you get the glass out of your arm. An eye for an eye," he added with a wink.

"What happened?" Ginji asked when Emishi had dragged Shido away against his will.

Ban shoved the bed away from the window and lowered it to the floor. A small hole had appeared in the corner of the glass where the bed post had broken through.

"Damn … maybe they are poltergeists."

"What?"

"I saw one of them, Ginji. A kid … a boy."

"You saw? Is that why your arm's scratched?"

"Yeah." Ban automatically reached for a cigarette from his shirt pocket, knowing they weren't there. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his trousers to stop himself.

"Did he hurt you?"

Ban smiled. "No, just screamed a lot."

"Screamed?"

"You didn't hear it? Monkey boy did."

"No, I didn't."

"Huh … is that so?" Ban brushed the thought off with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Where did the boy go?"

"He just disappeared. I'll tell you about it later." Ban patted Ginji's shoulder. "Help me clear this mess up some before Hajime and Mr. Sakamuru get back. Is anyone with Mrs. Kawayuki?"

"Juubei was with her last time I checked," Ginji replied with a grin. "Although it looked like he had been forced to keep her company."

"Where's the thread-spinner?"

"Kazuki's with them."

"Good."

"Ban? What did he look like?"

"Hmm?"

"The boy … what did he look like?"

"His eyes and hair weren't dark, Ginji," Ban said, remembering clearly the description he was told of the child from Ginji's dreams. Even though it had been vague he knew Ginji had already conjured up an image of what he had seen in mind.

Ginji gave a small sigh and nodded. "Okay."

Ban sighed and poked Ginji's forehead. "Ginji, remember this, what you saw in a dream might not exist in reality."

"Yeah … I know that."

"I know you do. So try not to dwell on it so much."

"Sorry."

"Doofus, don't be." Ban ruffled Ginji's hair absentmindedly. "Now stop looking so glum and help me clear up this mess."

* * *

"Why do I have to do this?" Shido huffed. 

"Because you have a good eye," Juubei replied.

"Then why are you here?"

Juubei turned to him. "To keep my 'eye' on you."

"So, we're stuck with this crazy old hag while the others do nothing?" Shido threw an evil glance in Mrs. Kawayuki's direction. She shifted in the chair and her beady eyes suddenly landed on him. Shido felt himself shudder and turned away.

"The others are searching the top floor so they're not exactly doing 'nothing'," Juubei said, oblivious to any visual contact Mrs. Kawayuki and Shido exchanged.

"This is a complete waste of time," Shido muttered, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"No point in moaning about it now."

"But look at her! She's not even _doing_ anything!"

"Even if I _could_ look at her, it wouldn't matter," Juubei replied. "It may seems like she's not doing anything, when in fact she's actually doing something."

"Well all I see is a wrinkled-up prune sitting in a chair," Shido retorted. "And that's how she's been during _every_ room we've been in!"

"If you would like to try, Mr. Midou," Mrs. Kawayuki spoke out suddenly, turning her body to face Shido, "then be my guest."

"I'm not Midou!" Shido snapped. "You could at least get my name right!"

"That's correct. Names are important in this particular exercise, Mr. Midou," Mrs. Kawayuki replied. "So you should get them right."

"It's _you_ who can't get mine right!"

"Now, now, there's no need to speak so aggressively," Mrs. Kawayuki lifted a finger as she said this. "Aggression shortens the life span."

"Says who?" Shido muttered.

"Looks like you won't be around very long," Juubei mused under his breath.

"Mediumship is not easy," Mrs. Kawayuki was saying now, jabbing her finger at Shido. "It takes time, patience, discipline. I have worked in this field for over 50 years and I do not intend to let a incompetent nuisance such as yourself distract me. If you want to call upon the spirits yourself, then by all means do so, but I will not hold responsibility should anything happen to you."

"What did you call me?" Shido growled, clenching his fist.

"Well then, let us not waste time!" Mrs. Kawayuki clapped her hands and settled back in her chair. "I must concentrate on calling upon the children."

Shido could feel the stress nudging away at his temples. "You –"

"I need quiet, Mr. Midou."

"_I'm not Midou_!"

"I SAID I NEED QUIET!" Mrs. Kawayuki suddenly bellowed.

Shido gritted his teeth and took a angry step forward. "Why you –"

Juubei reached out and grabbed his shoulder. "I wouldn't if I was you."

Shido forced his hand away. "Fine."

"Where are you going?" Juubei asked, his ears pricking up as Shido's footsteps began to fade from the room. "I wouldn't go anywhere alone."

Shido waved his warning away. "I'm taking a break."

"Shido –"

"It's fine," Shido's voice replied. "I won't go alone."

* * *

Shido's companion joined him as he wandered the corridor alone and began to squeak softly. 

"No luck, huh?" Shido repeated with a shrug. "That doesn't come as much of a shock. It wouldn't surprise me if the jewel wasn't in this mansion to begin with." He leaned down and let the mouse scurry along his arm and onto his shoulder. "They've been up there a long time. I wonder how many rooms occupy the top floor."

The mouse gave a small squeak.

"No," Shido smiled. "It's okay. Don't bother looking. Besides, Mr. Sakamuru's room is located on the top floor, so I have had a chance to see it. Although a big mansion like this must have some sort of hidden room."

The mouse squeaked again.

"Hmm? Is that so? What's in it?"

Again another squeak.

Shido stroked the mouse with a gentle finger. "If it's on the top floor, Ginji and the others would have checked it out."

More squeaking followed.

"So, you've been all the way up there." Shido shoved his hands into his pockets and stopped against one of the windows. He glanced outside. The rain continued to pour. "I doubt there'd be much up there but cobwebs."

Another squeak.

"Really?" he murmured. "Why them, I wonder?" He turned away from the rain and headed towards the stairway. "Shall we check it out?"

* * *

_GROOWWWLLLL_

Ban frowned and turned to Ginji. "Was that your stomach?"

"Wha – no!" Ginji shook his head quickly. "At least … I don't think so."

"Oookay."

"Sorry guys. That was me!" Emishi looked up from the box he was rummaging in and smiled at them sheepishly. "Heh … lunch is calling out to me!"

"You've not long had breakfast, Emishi," Kazuki replied, wiping his brow with a dusty hand. "Shouldn't lunch be eaten in the afternoon?"

"Afternoon, morning, doesn't matter to me!"

Ginji nodded and gazed at Ban with puppy-dog eyes. "Ban?"

Ban ran a weary had over his face. "Fine. Let's just finish looking in here and find Shido and Juubei. I want to see how they're doing with Mrs. Kawayuki."

"Just hope Shido hasn't killed her," Emishi muttered.

The others turned to him.

"What?" Emishi lifted his hands defensively. "Like you weren't all thinking the same thing!"

* * *

Shido had already made his way up to the attic before the others left the second floor. 

It had been a tough a job finding the staircase, but in the very corner of one of the small, unused rooms, behind an old wooden door had been a rickety flight of stairs that lead up to the musty enclosure of the attic.

The room itself was huge, no question about that. Old beams that would have been worth a fortune towered across the ceiling, seemingly Victorian, and although Shido had little knowledge about architecture, he knew good construction work when he saw it; otherwise the beams would have been replaced years ago. He ran a hand over one of the wooden beams closest to the wall. The wood felt cold and damp. He couldn't reach any of the higher ones away from the wall.

The mouse tickled his neck.

Shido jumped, relaxed a little and stroked the mouse's back.

"No one's been up here for a while. It's so dark."

The mouse gave a small nod and turned its nose towards the end of the room. The nose twitched, turned to Shido, before turning back again.

"Huh, well look at that."

Shido walked over to the end of the room, his feet creaking along the wooden floorboards, until he reached the small window at the other end. The window sill was coated in dust, even along the dark piece of cloth that covered it. He could hear the rain on the other side of the cloth. The occasional pitter of water could be heard seeping into the room between the beams above.

Shido heard a faint tapping and took a cautious step away from the window. He glanced at the mouse resting calmly on his shoulder.

"Did you see anyone up here?" he ventured.

The mouse shook its head.

_Doesn't make me feel any better_, he thought, reaching a hand out toward the cloth. His fingers closed around the material. He frowned. _Why are you so tense?_

He didn't know why. The rational thinking that cloaked his mind told him, no, nothing would appear at the window, but his instincts told him not to let his guard down. He'd done that one too many times in the duration of time he'd been here.

The tapping stopped. The only sounds were the rapid fall of rain, the faint squeaks coming from the mouse and Shido's steady breathing.

He pulled the cloth away from the window so forcefully it ripped and hung limply in his hands. He let it drop to the floor and stared at the glass.

A face stared back.

"Uh!" Shido gasped.

But it wasn't a face. Not a real one. The stream of water coursing down the glass had made a face-shape along the surface.

Shido knew it was his imagination, but he could see clearly the outline of a face, two eyes and a gaping hole for a mouth. He couldn't believe the tricks his eyes were playing on him. The face even appeared small and child-like.

Slowly, as though it knew it had been seen, the face began to disappear in the flow of water, before it vanished completely. Now nothing but the rain appeared before his vision.

Shido sighed and turned away from the window.

The room was slightly lighter now. Despite the rain, it was only early afternoon so the gray sky outside provided some light source for the dark and damp room. He could see tons of cardboard boxes randomly placed everywhere. The face remained in his mind but he shook it away.

"Let's see what we can find."

He sat on the floor and pulled a cardboard box towards him.

A whispered thought clouded his mind momentarily. He ignored it.

The mouse gave a faint squeak.

"It's okay," he said, stroking its quivering body soothingly. "I'll protect you."

Even as he said it, Shido sensed he was being watched.

* * *

**Chapter Eight End**

**To Be Continued In Chapter Nine**

* * *

**Author's Note:** Well, not much to say about this chapter … not much _in_ this chapter, I feel, so I'm sorry about that. I'm trying to shake this writer's block off (unfortunately I still have it). I can feel it relenting a little, and I know _how_ my story will go, it's just sometimes difficult to make the words flow. But I'll get there. 

However, that aside … lots of Shido in this chapter, don't you think? I hope you guys like Shido, and even if you don't, I hope you can forgive me for putting him so much in this chapter! Even he deserves a little spotlight. Yes? And I haven't had much opportunity to include his animals … better late than never! I love the bond he shares with them, so I hope I got it okay.

Once again, thank you all for your kind reviews and adding my story to your alert list! It just pleases me so much that you're reading this and waiting for the next chapter. I'm sorry as always for my slow updating! You're all so wonderful and patience!

Aoi


	10. Chapter 9: Shido's Discovery

**Based on the story:** _Getbackers_

**Written by:** aoi kodomo

**Full Summary:** The Getbackers finally get their hands on a mission they can really sink their teeth into. However, when the spiritual world starts to cross with reality, will the duo be able to tell the difference between what's real and what's not? Does the ability to communicate with the dead really exist?

**Author's Note:** All characters of _Getbackers_ are copyright to Rando Ayamine and Yuya Aoki. Any additional characters are copyright to me.

**Rating:** T

* * *

**Get Back the Sacred Jewel**

**Chapter Nine:** Shido's Discovery

* * *

The faint sounds of laughter drifted through the attic as Shido was lifting the lid off his second box. 

He ignored it and continued to rummage through the box, occasionally taking the odd item out to examine it. One item had a date engraved underneath and he carefully placed it in his pocket.

He could feel the mouse shaking with fear on his shoulder. He reached up, carefully took the small creature into his hands and stroked it gently, before placing it on his thigh. The mouse took protection against his t-shirt, burying its body underneath the temperate material.

Shido smiled warmly. He started to look in another box, but the items inside were scarce.

He was just about to move on to the next box, when he saw it, perched up against the edge of the cardboard, behind the broken abacus.

Shido pulled the piece of paper out and unfolded it. The writing was so faded he could barely see the words, but he managed to make out the faint black lettering.

"Hmm." Shido quickly scanned the writing. A date was written in full, but he only read the year. "Well, well, this thing is older than I am. Way older." _From Ban's description of what this place used to be, looks like this thing will provide proof._

The frantic squeaking from the mouse stopped his train of thought. Its claws suddenly dug into Shido's thigh.

"Hey," he grimaced. "Watch those things."

The mouse continued to squeak fretfully.

Shido sighed, placing a palm over its body. The mouse shook so much his own hand began to shake with it.

"Calm down. You're safe."

The sudden laughter that erupted from the corner of the room made him look up. He remained quiet for a while.

"Well, well," he mused. "I was wondering when I'd see you."

The face peering at him through dirty-blonde hair was unmistakable. He recognized the muddy clothes and faded wristband. He knew instantly that the face grinning eerily at him was the same face he and Emishi had first encountered. Stood with his back to the wall, the young boy continued to grin at him without making a move.

Shido locked eyes with him and smiled. He lifted the paper in his hand. "Is this yours?"

The grin vanished from the boy's face, immediately replaced with a scowl.

Shido chuckled. "So, you _do_ have more than one facial expression besides a creepy grin."

The boy clenched his fists and glared at Shido.

"Have I worried you?"

The boy remained silent.

"You've been here long enough," Shido said, tapping the piece of paper in his hands. He lifted the mouse into his hands and got to his feet. "It's about time you leave this place."

Still the boy continued to stare at him.

Shido kept his distance from the child as far away as he could. He knew the danger he was in, especially if more than one child appeared, but he needed to gather as much information as he could. He knew that soon the others would come looking for him. Until then he needed to keep his guard up and remain calm. If he showed the slightest hint of fear or hesitation the kid was bound to pick up on it.

_This will probably amount to nothing, but_ …

"Where's the jewel?" he asked.

The boy just grinned in reply.

_Hmm, so they know. But how is that possible? _Shido gave a light shrug. _I suppose it's true that ghosts can see anything. Besides, he's been here long enough._ _In a way_, Shido mentally added, locking eyes with the boy. _I feel sorry for you._

Whether he had seen it in his eyes or picked up on the thought, the boy took an angry step towards Shido. His foot never made a sound as it stomped on the floor.

"So you won't be pitied?" Shido asked. "Then why don't you leave?"

The question died on Shido's lips as the sound of cracking wood cut across his words.

He barely had time to look up or react before one of the heavy beams suddenly broke away from the ceiling and came crashing down on his head.

He hit the floor hard and remained still underneath the broken wood. The rain poured through the empty gap in the roof and pounded its way into the attic, mingling with the fresh blood that began to drip from his body.

The last thing Shido glimpsed was the mouse scurrying across the floor.

Then everything went black.

* * *

Juubei and Mrs. Kawayuki were already in the dining hall when the others returned. Hajime was serving Mrs. Kawayuki what looked like pond water in a cup. 

"Ugh! What's that?!" Ginji cringed, eying the liquid suspiciously. Even Hajime seemed hesitant to give it to her.

"This is my special tea," Mrs. Kawayuki replied with a wink. "Hajime was kind enough to make it for me. It is a family recipe. I'm afraid I cannot give it to you. I swore poor Mr. Matsumoto here to absolute secrecy."

"Who'd want it?" Emishi muttered.

Kazuki elbowed him in the ribs.

"Ow!" Emishi turned on him. "So you'd drink that?!"

"It can't be worse than the sake you always drink," Kazuki replied.

Emishi leaned towards Ginji, placing a hand near his face and whispered, "I still wouldn't drink that even if I was paid to."

Ginji nodded solemnly, still eying the tea Mrs. Kawayuki began to drink. He pulled a face. It did look like she was drinking water from a dirty fish tank.

Ban nudged him. "What's up?"

Ginji shook his head. "I don't feel like eating anymore."

"Me either," Emishi added. He'd been watching Mrs. Kawayuki drink the tea too.

Ban shrugged, pulling a cigarette out from the new pack in his pocket, courtesy of Mr. Sakamuru. _I should tell him to buy them in bulk_, he thought, lighting up. He took his first drag contentedly. He turned to Mrs. Kawayuki as he blew out the excess smoke. "How did it go?" he asked her.

"More tea, please Hajime!"

Hajime bowed, the smile on his face seemingly forced. "Of course," he said, moving towards the kitchen.

"Poor guy," Emishi sympathized. "I can't imagine what goes in that stuff."

Ginji nodded in agreement.

Ban rolled his eyes and tapped Mrs. Kawayuki's shoulder. "Mrs. Kawayuki," he spoke, raising his voice a notch. "How did it go?"

She stared at him for a moment then replied, "That's very forward, Mr. Midou."

"What?"

"Honestly, boys your age." She placed a wrinkled hand over his. "If you need to go, then go. I'm sure you don't need assistance."

"No, I said _how did it go_?"

"Wha – but I don't need to go!"

Ban sighed and turned to Juubei. "Yo, needle boy, how did she get on?"

"Nothing yet," Juubei replied. "She said earlier the children have probably sensed she's here and are hiding from her. But then again we only checked the rooms on the bottom floor. They could be on the other floors."

Ban shrugged and gave Mrs. Kawayuki's hand a pat in return. "Thanks," he said. "You're doing fine. Keep trying."

Mrs. Kawayuki smiled back. "I'll do my best, dear."

Ban smiled. _So she's not completely deaf. Although she never hears a word monkey boy says_._ Wait – where's …_

Ban noticed then they were one person down. Usually he wouldn't have cared but now he turned back to Juubei and asked, "Where's monkey boy?"

Juubei sighed. "He said he was taking a break. It seems he and Mrs. Kawayuki didn't see eye to eye."

"Weren't we told this morning to stay in pairs?" Emishi asked.

"Shido's used to going at things alone," Kazuki replied. "He should be okay."

_KKEEERRRRAAAASSSSHHHH!_

The sudden sound made everyone jump.

The tray Hajime was carrying slipped from his hands and fell to the floor with a crash. The cup smashed to smithereens, the hot liquid splashing up the table leg and across the floor, staining the carpet with its green-colored fluid. Despite this distraction everyone had turned their faces up to the ceiling.

"What the hell was that?!" Ban demanded.

"Juubei, where did Shido go?" Emishi asked.

"I don't know," Juubei replied with a shake of his head.

"Ginji!" Ban put out his cigarette and ran after his partner, who had already bolted from the room and was heading up the main stairway.

Ginji was already looking furiously around the second floor before Ban caught up to him. He spotted the open door at the bottom of the corridor, a room he knew they hadn't searched yet, and ran inside. Another door was open that led to an old-looking flight of stairs. He ran up them two at a time.

As he neared the top he suddenly spotted Shido, lying still on the ground. What appeared to be part of one of the old ceiling beams lay on top of him.

"Shido!" Ginji rushed to his side and fell to his knees next to him, pressing a finger to his neck.

He was breathing.

Ginji gave a quick sigh of relief and examined the beam that pinned Shido to the ground. He saw the blood seeping through Shido's t-shirt underneath the broken wood, near his shoulder, and realized he must have moved milliseconds before the beam could hit his head.

He gave a small thought of praise to Shido. He stood up and grasped the beam carefully with both hands. It was heavier than he thought.

"Ginji!"

"Ban!" Ginji shouted, relived to hear his friend's voice coming from the small room below. "Come and help me with this!"

Ban emerged from the stairway seconds later, his eyes resting on Shido momentarily before he ran over and grabbed the beam from Ginji's hand. He lifted it as carefully as he could, letting it drop with a loud _bang_ under the window.

"Shido …" Ginji sighed.

Ban moved over to Ginji's side and leant down to Shido. He sighed. _You idiot_, he thought. He bit the shoulder of his shirt and ripped the sleeve away, quickly tying it around the wound on Shido's shoulder.

Shido let out a small groan. One eye opened and rested on Ban.

"Unh …"

Ban stared down at him. "You're an idiot," he said aloud. "And you owe me a shirt."

Ginji stared at him, shocked. "Ban!"

Ban moved to Shido's other side and lifted him up, shifting him carefully over his shoulder. He turned to Ginji and said, "Go get Hajime to call a doctor."

"But shouldn't we –"

"An ambulance is pointless," Ban interrupted with a wave of his hand. "He's fine," he added calmly.

Shido groaned in reply.

"See?"

"Ban!"

"Just do it, Ginji."

Ginji reluctantly obeyed. He ran down the rickety stairway and disappeared from view.

Ban sighed and followed suit, taking the stairs one cautious step at a time, keeping a firm hand on Shido's back.

"Midou …" Shido seemed to come to his senses a little. Ban could feel his head moving behind him.

"Don't move, idiot," he replied. "Otherwise I'll drop you." _Not that I would mind_, he mentally added. He left the room and began to make his way down the corridor. "I'm surprised," he said with a small smirk, "I thought your reactions were a lot better."

"Unh …" Shido groaned and moved his head to the side. Searing pain shot threw his temples, coming on so strongly it made him feel sick. He clutched the back of Ban's shirt suddenly. "Ungh!"

Ban glanced sideways. "Feeling sick?" he queried unsympathetically. "That's no surprise. But if you _dare_ throw up I really will drop you."

Shido threw up in response.

* * *

"Um, Ban," Ginji whispered, "You kind of stink." 

Ban glared at him in reply.

"Ah! Sorry Ban! But you should really get a shower or something!"

"I want to ask the good doctor about monkey boy here," Ban said darkly. He turned his head towards the doctor sitting on the bed next to Shido. "_Is he going to die_?"

Tension hovered around the room like a heavy veil. It felt like a wishful demand more than a question.

Dr. Umaki stared up at Ban in shock. Was this really the man that had helped him? It didn't feel like it. He put the bandages back into his medical kit, stood up, grabbed his jacket and cleared his throat. "He has a slight concussion and no doubt will experience severe headaches for a while, which was most likely what caused him to throw up previously. I did worry that he may had suffered a very small effect of anterograde amnesia, but if so this would have passed. The wound on his shoulder should heal in good time. It was miraculous he didn't endure more damage. Needless to say he's very lucky."

Ban stared at the doctor over the rim of his glasses. "So he's not going to die?"

Dr. Umaki rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Err, no, that's very unlikely."

Ban glanced down at Shido laying there asleep and clenched his fist. "Pity."

"Pity?" Dr. Umaki repeated, glancing cautiously around the room. _Are these people normal_?

"Ha ha ha!" Emishi appeared next to the doctor and patted his back heartedly. "Don't mind him! He's just upset, is all! Doesn't know what he's saying! Look, he's shaking with worry!"

Ban was actually shaking with anger, but Emishi ushered the doctor out of the room before he could see.

"Thank you for your help, Dr. Umaki!" he grinned, leading him downstairs and showing him the door. "Drive carefully."

"Yes, I will. Please contact me if Mr. Fuyuki's medical condition changes." Dr. Umaki seemed more eager to leave than to stay, so Emishi walked him to his car, thanked him again, and watched him drive off down the long driveway. He breathed a sigh of relief when the car had disappeared from view and walked back inside.

An audible _thud_ came from the first floor.

"N-no … Ban!" Ginji's voice yelled. It sounded like he was being dragged along the floor. "You – can't – touch – him!"

"I won't need to! I'm gonna knock him senseless with this!"

"_WAAAAHH! DON'T DO THAT!_"

Emishi rubbed a hand over his face. He smiled. "Watch yourself, Shido."

* * *

"_You disgusting little brat! Look at what you've done!"_

"_Please … please … I'm sorry … I'm sorry!"_

"_Why are you even here?! You should have never been born! The devil's child, that's what you are!"_

"_I-I'm not … I'm not ..."_

"_You should have been drowned at birth!"_

"_P-please …"_

"_Get up!"_

"_Please …"_

"_I said get up!"_

"_Please … don't …"_

"_GET UP!"_

* * *

Shido woke with a sudden shock. 

The throbbing pain drummed away in his head, bang, bang, banging constantly against his temples. He rested a hand on the bandages that were wrapped around his head, wanting to tear them off. He was hot, too hot.

He turned his head slightly.

Ban was sat in a chair beside his bed, watching him, puffing away on the cigarette that hung casually from his mouth.

"Bad dream?" he asked.

"What are you in here for?"

"That's not very polite. I'm body guarding you, so to speak. Unfortunately it was my turn."

"What time is it?"

"A little after 8.00 p.m."

"Where is everyone?"

"Downstairs having dinner."

Shido closed his eyes for a moment. The pain was still there. His fingers tightened around the edge of the bandages on his head.

Ban took one last drag of his cigarette and put it out in a plant pot on the nightstand. He reached for the bowl of water next to it and placed the cloth hanging off it inside. He turned to Shido and said, "Take your bandages off."

"Why?"

"Because I'm gonna cool that hot head of yours, idiot."

Shido scowled at him but removed the bandages anyway.

Ban disposed of them in the nearest bin and squeezed the excess water out of the cloth. He folded it up carefully and slapped it onto Shido's forehead.

"Urrgh!"

Ban picked another cigarette from his packet and lit up. "Too hard?"

"You did that on purpose!"

Ban smiled. "Maybe."

"Bastard," Shido muttered, pressing the cooling cloth against his head.

Instead of his usual retaliation, Ban looked at him and said, "What were you dreaming about?"

"Dream?"

"You were moaning in your sleep."

Shido shook his head. "Don't remember."

"Hmm."

Shido turned to him. "Why?"

"Nothing, doesn't matter. Thought you might be having a nightmare."

"If I was, why didn't you wake me?"

Again Ban just smiled. "I like to watch."

Shido didn't feel like arguing, instead he threw a glare at Ban in reply. He sat up, moving the cloth to the back of his neck in an attempt to cool himself down. The room was dark and musty which didn't make him feel any better. The pain in his head had reduced to a dull throbbing. He sighed and rested an elbow over his knee, leaning back against the bed rest.

Ban watched him. "What were you doing up there anyway?"

Shido closed his eyes. "Scoping the place out." He suddenly remembered the item he had put in his pocket and reached down to get it, but his clothes had been removed and he was wearing a different pair of pants now.

"Looking for this?" Ban held the small object up between his fingers. Shido opened his eyes. "We found it in your pocket. This is what you were scoping for?"

"No, I just found that. Have you seen the date on it?"

"Yeah, pretty old. Does it belong to one of them?"

"Maybe. But I found something that did."

"What was it?"

"A birth certificate, I think. I dropped it in the attic though."

"Who was it for?"

"One of the boys. He saw me when I found it."

Ban lit up another cigarette. "Hmm … was he still there after you were hit?"

Shido shrugged. "Who knows … I blacked out."

"I noticed that."

Shido scowled at him. A sharp wave of pain traveled across his temples and he pressed the cloth back on his head, determined not to let it get to him.

Ban took a long drag of his cigarette and continued to stare at him in silence. The fact that Shido had gotten himself hurt didn't bother him as much as the fact that they were now a man down for the time being. He would never admit it but Shido's animal instincts worked well to their advantage.

Something scurrying across his leg made him jump. Ban jolted upright in his seat and watched the mouse crawl along the leg of his chair and onto the bed, stopping only when he was perched on Shido's shoulder.

Shido smiled and reached up to stroke the small animal.

"Well, well," he said, "You came back."

"What the hell for?" Ban muttered.

The mouse squeaked furiously at Ban in reply.

* * *

**Chapter Nine End**

**To Be Continued In Chapter Ten**

* * *

**Author's Note:** Poor Shido, I think I gave him too much attention – and torment – in this chapter too. I don't think Ban would ever be nice to him in his time of need. I know some of you may think Shido's throwing up would be out of character, and yes, it probably would, but sickening pain can make you do that (knows from experience). Besides, I thought it was funny and I could see it happening. Although I wouldn't have wanted to be Ban in that situation (or Shido, for that matter). 

Anyway, thank you all for your continued support and adding this story to your alert lists. I appreciated your kindness and comments you have given me. Thank you. Your encouragement continues to fuel my inspiration.

Next chapter is ten! I've reached double digits! See you there!

Aoi


	11. Chapter 10: Ginji's Vision

**Based on the story:** _Getbackers_

**Written by:** aoi kodomo

**Full Summary:** The Getbackers finally get their hands on a mission they can really sink their teeth into. However, when the spiritual world starts to cross with reality, will the duo be able to tell the difference between what's real and what's not? Does the ability to communicate with the dead really exist?

**Author's Note:** All characters of _Getbackers_ are copyright to Rando Ayamine and Yuya Aoki. Any additional characters are copyright to me.

**Rating:** T

* * *

**Get Back the Sacred Jewel**

**Chapter Ten:** Ginji's Vision

* * *

Shido had fallen asleep by the time Emishi came to relieve Ban of his bodyguard duty. The mouse remained on Shido's shoulder, curled up tightly near the crook of his neck. Every so often it would glance at Shido as though to make sure he was still there. It started to squeak when Emishi entered the room.

"Now isn't that cute," Emishi smiled. "That, my friend, is love."

"That, you idiot, is annoying," Ban replied, putting out his cigarette. The soil in the plant pot could barely be seen now.

"You're going to live to the ripe old age of 100, aren't ya?" Emishi teased, glancing at the cigarette ends.

"Just shut up and watch him."

Ban stood up, shoved his hands into his pockets and left the room.

Emishi shrugged. He walked over to Shido's bed and sat on the chair backwards, smiling at the mouse. "This is why you should never smoke. Makes ya grumpy."

The mouse squeaked back at him.

"You're absolutely right, my little furry friend!" Emishi grinned. "I, of course, have no idea what you're saying. I'd ask Shido but best not to wake him up, eh?"

The mouse nodded but Emishi put it down to mere coincidence.

* * *

As Ban walked along the first floor corridor, tapping noises came from every room and every window. He stopped walking after a few minutes and the tapping came to a stop also, only to continue again when he carried on making his way further down the corridor. One of the doors on his left opened and giggling erupted from the room. 

Ban ignored it and walked down the stairs into the main entrance. The giggling followed.

The dining hall was empty so he made his way into the kitchen and helped himself to the fridge. Hajime only seemed to stock health food produce so Ban gulped down a can of self-proclaiming '5-A-Day Health Juice (Now Without Bits!)' before making his way along the ground floor in search of the others.

Giggling continued to follow him as he walked.

He grabbed a cigarette from his shirt pocket and lit up. He sensed movement behind him but when he turned around the corridor was empty. He heard voices from one of the reception rooms and peered inside.

Ginji, Kazuki, Juubei and Mrs. Kawayuki were sat on the old-fashioned chairs, each with a cup in their hands full of steaming liquid. Hajime stood beside them, talking to Ginji near the far corner. They all stopped speaking and looked at Ban when he entered the room.

"What's this? A tea break?"

"No, my dear, it's a tea break!" Mrs. Kawayuki bellowed in reply.

Ban was about to say he knew exactly what it was when Ginji cut across him.

"Ban, how's Shido?"

Ban turned to him and shrugged. "He seems fine."

"Do you think it was a good idea to let Emishi watch him?" Kazuki said. "You know how much Emishi torments him. Maybe I should have gone with him."

"He's asleep right now," Ban replied.

"Emishi's asleep?" Ginji said, shocked. "But he's only just gone up there!"

"Not him, doofus. Monkey boy."

"Oh."

Ban realized the giggling that had followed him downstairs had stopped completely. He turned around and glanced into the corridor. It remained empty.

Ginji followed his gaze. "What is it, Ban?"

Ban turned back. "It's nothing."

Ginji looked like he was about to say something in reply, but stopped himself. Ban watched him and said nothing. He leaned against the doorframe and continued to smoke his cigarette in silence. The others picked up their conversations where they had left off.

Moments later the cell phone in Ban's pocket beeped. He took it out and flipped it open. A new message appeared on the screen.

_Found some info that mgt help. Sendin dwn in email. Paul_

Ban looked at the clock on the far wall of the room. It read just after 11.00 p.m. The Honky Tonk would have closed hours ago. Paul was working overtime. He wondered if Hevn or Natsumi would have stayed with him after hours. Although he knew he'd be alone now.

Ban wrote a message back.

He didn't see Ginji's head appear over his shoulder until he had flipped the phone shut. As he did so Ginji's voice spoke behind him.

"Who was that Ban?"

Ban nearly jumped a foot in the air. "Don't sneak up on me like that!" he bellowed.

Ginji blinked, said nothing, and moved behind Hajime for protection.

* * *

The others retreated to their rooms a little after 12.00 pm. Kazuki and Juubei took Mrs. Kawayuki back to her room, before taking rest in their own room next to her, leaving Ban and Ginji alone in the reception room downstairs. Hajime had excused himself with the group and had gone up to Mr. Sakamuru's room. Although everyone mostly remained in pairs anyway, after Shido's accident, Ban insisted that Mr. Sakamuru shouldn't be left alone on the second floor by himself. 

Ban sat now with a cigarette hung loosely from his lips, one foot resting across his knee, his cheek leaning on his hand, lost in thought.

Ginji watched him, holding onto the front of the chair, not wanting to disturb his thoughts. He could feel himself yawn and attempted to hide it, but Ban's eyes suddenly glanced over to look at him.

"Are you tired?"

"No, I'm okay."

Ban smiled and stood up. "C'mon, let's go."

As they walked to the first floor Ginji noticed Ban kept looking over his shoulder, like he was expecting someone to be there, or waiting for someone to appear. As Ginji approached the top of the stairs Ban suddenly grabbed his wrist, making him stop in his tracks.

He turned to face him. "What's wrong, Ban?"

Ban looked behind them to the entrance hall, peering into the darkness. He couldn't see much now that the lights were off, only the shadows created from outside dancing across the walls. But he thought he heard faint tapping coming from under the stairs. He listened intently for a few moments.

The only sounds he heard now were the wind and rain outside.

He waited, then released Ginji's arm.

"Ban? What is it?"

Ban shook his head and lit up another cigarette. "I thought I heard something. Must've imagined it."

"Are you okay? You seem edgy."

Ban looked at him. "Yeah, I'm fine. C'mon, start walking. You're keeping me from my bed rest." He thumped Ginji's chest softly and continued past him along the corridor.

* * *

_The clock on the nightstand read 2.05 a.m when Ginji sat up in bed. He felt light-headed and a little dizzy but the feeling lasted momentarily._

_Ban remained still next to him, his chest rising and falling as he slept peacefully. Ginji noticed that he had fallen asleep with his glasses on, something he often did. The frames lay crookedly across his nose. He removed them and placed them on the nightstand, before getting out of bed and treading softly across the floor._

_He kept quiet, not wanting to wake Ban._

_He crept into the bathroom and stood in front of the sink. He splashed cold water on his face before walking back out._

_Ban continued to sleep quietly._

_Ginji stared at him for a moment. The feeling of light-headedness returned and he clutched the bed post as it began to overwhelm him. It passed again after a few seconds._

_Something tapped against the bedroom window and Ginji turned to face it. The hole that had previously been in the corner of the window had been boarded up, but Ginji shivered as some of the cold night air seeped in. The rain continued to pound against the glass. He walked over to the window and looked outside._

_The long driveway stared back at him, empty and silent. The gates at the bottom creaked and groaned against the wind, but remained locked. He sighed and lowered his head._

_Movement flickered briefly past his vision._

_Ginji lifted his head. He frowned and narrowed his eyes._

_There, at the bottom of the driveway, he could see a figure learning against the gates. Its arms were folded and its head bowed. It was so dark Ginji couldn't see the face. He leaned closer to the glass to try and get a better look._

_More figures emerged. Some were sat on the top of the gate while others were running along the driveway. One of the figures had something round in its hand, a ball perhaps, and was throwing it up and down in the air._

_Ginji watched for a while, his nose almost touching the glass, when one of the figures stopped and looked up at him. _

_It spoke, the voice a faint whisper through the night, but he heard it clearly._

Come outside_, it said._

_He shook his head. _No_, a voice suddenly warned inside his head. _You're not allowed to go outside.

_The figure waved at him. Ginji lifted a hand up against the window._

Come outside_, it said again._

_He bit his lip. Should he go?_

Come,_ the figure outside urged. _Come out.

No_, a small voice spoke inside him. _You'll get into trouble.

Come …

_Suddenly the figures seemed further away. He could still see them outside, but the voice was drifting away from him, leaving him. A strange feeling grew inside his heart, one he didn't like._

_He was being left alone._

_He didn't like the feeling of insecurity that was beginning well up more and more in his chest. He turned to Ban. Even his existence seemed fake, an illusion. He wanted to reach out to touch him, to break the uncertainty, but instead he crept silently across the room and walked outside, leaving the cold room and his partner behind him._

_As he walked along the corridor he glanced outside each window. The figures were still there, including the one that continued to wave to him, his voice sounding clearer._

Come on. Come outside.

_Ginji nodded, the voice in his mind still protesting._

You can't go outside!

Why not? _He challenged the voice, his own thoughts seemingly strange. _They won't see. I'll come back.

No! You'll get caught! _The voice replied._

I won't_, he replied. _It's dark. They won't see.

They will! _The voice continued to protest. _You're not allowed outside!

But I haven't been outside in so long_, he answered, the thought urging him on_.

It doesn't matter! _The voice said._ You'll get into trouble!

_He ignored the voice now, just the thought of going outside giving him strength. He could feel the childlike innocence and curiosity growing in his chest. The figure continued to wave at him as he started to creep past the windows, his bare feet padding softly across the floor. He could sense people asleep in the other rooms … Shido … Emishi … Kazuki … Juubei … Mrs. Kawayuki … and other people he didn't know. There were people in every room, asleep, not knowing where he was going._

_He reached the stairway and started to tiptoe down each step one at a time, keeping his hands firmly on the banister. He could see the figures more clearly outside the main windows near the front door now. He crept down the last step and stood still for a moment. The figure that had spoken to him was now standing outside, beckoning him to come. The large door was the only thing that separated them._

Come on. Come play with us.

_Ginji looked around, his mind jumbled. Suddenly the thought of getting caught made him wonder if it was worth it. No movement came from behind or above him. Everyone was still asleep._

Come_, the figure said. _Come play with us.

_He nodded, ignoring the inner voice that continued to protest, and walked down the corridor. He knew he couldn't exit out the main door. It was too heavy. They would hear. He couldn't risk making a noise._

_The figure followed, walking past the windows, watching him._

Where are you going? _It asked now._

Can't go out that way, _he replied, shaking his head._ They'll hear.

Are you scared of them?_ The figure asked._

_Ginji could feel himself nod his head. _Yes.

_He reached the window at the farthest end of the corridor and carefully took the lock off it. He grasped the frame tightly and pushed it up. It creaked in protest._

_He stopped, glancing down the corridor._

_Still no movement came from upstairs._

_He continued to push open the window, finding it heavier than he thought it would be. The figure watched him on the other side of the glass. Eventually he had pushed it up enough so that he could fit through the gap._

_Rain pounded into the opening and hit his bare chest and arms but he didn't notice. He couldn't see, hear or feel the rain. Only a faint breeze and the sound of laughter that came from outside filled his senses. The urge was overwhelming now._

_He wanted to play with them, to laugh with them._

_Even though he could not see the face he knew the figure was smiling at him. He smiled back._

_The figure held out its hand._

Come_, it whispered._

_Ginji reached out and grabbed its hand._

* * *

The clock on the nightstand flickered to 2.19 a.m. when Ban woke up. 

He opened his eyes to the darkness, not knowing what woke him up, but suddenly feeling wide awake. Even though nothing in particular had disturbed him from slumber, he felt slightly uneasy, a feeling he couldn't shake off. He lifted a hand to rub over his face, realizing his glasses had gone and turned his head to see them resting on the nightstand.

Then he noticed Ginji wasn't there.

He sat up in bed, kicking the sheets off him impatiently before climbing out and walking into the bathroom.

The tap was running but Ginji wasn't here. He turned the faucet off and went back into the bedroom, pulling on his shirt. He could feel himself growing annoyed because Ginji knew he didn't want him wandering around on his own, whatever the reason. But his partner was so stubborn and clueless sometimes that he wouldn't wake Ban up even if he wanted to get a drink or something.

Even as he thought this, the feeling of unease grew a little. _Ginji's not getting a drink_, a voice inside his head spoke. _You know that._

Something tapped against the window, making him jump.

Ban walked over and peered outside. He couldn't see anything except the rain plummeting down across the garden and beyond. The trees at the bottom of the driveway swayed furiously in the wind. He could hear the odd branch cracking and the moan of wind as it pushed against the window.

Then he noticed a figure running across the driveway, one arm out as though it was being pulled, heading toward the large gates. He leaned closer to the glass to get a better look. It was so dark he had to narrow his eyes to see better, but as he did so the recognition of the figure suddenly came into view. Ban could clearly see the brown shorts and blonde hair, now soaked through with water.

_Ginji!_

Ban hurriedly pulled on his shoes and ran out of the room.

* * *

_The light hit Ginji's eyes sharply as he climbed outside, still holding onto the figure's hand._

_He could smell the freshly cut grass and could feel the warmth of the setting sun as it disappeared behind the trees. The first signs of dusk began to appear in its place. The sounds of laughter reached his ears, the many voices filled with happiness and content. It warmed his heart._

_The figure holding his hand squeezed his fingers._

Come, _it smiled at him_. Let's go play.

_Ginji turned back to face the window, a little hesitant. He didn't want to get caught._

They won't know_, the figure reassured, picking up on his uncertainty._ We're not supposed to be here either_, it added._

_He already knew that. He knew this was a game to them also, but it was a dangerous one they were playing. They all knew the consequences that would follow if they were caught. But the pure joy of being outside blocked out all their worries._

_He squeezed the figure's hand back and began to walk with him across the front driveway._

_A ball appeared from nowhere and the figure in front of him grabbed it, laughing, before throwing it back again. Another figure grabbed it, throwing it into the air and catching it in two hands. Soon more and more of the figures were joining in, each passing the ball in a small circle. The childish laughter continued to drift through the summer breeze._

_Ginji could feel himself smiling with them and started to run toward the end of the driveway, the figure in front guiding him along. Eventually they both stopped and leaned against the cool metal of the gates, wrapping their hands securely around the bars._

_The figure turned to him and laughed._

_It was a beautiful sound, he thought, filled with pure happiness. _

_The figure's face was also coming into view and he saw the beauty rising to the surface, the eyes shining joyfully at him._

What's your name? _he asked._

Kenji, _the figure replied with a boyish grin._

That's a nice name_, he said._

What's yours?_ Kenji queried._

_He started to reply, but Kenji's face changed so rapidly he barely got the first syllable out._

_The boy in front of him was staring up at the building, his eyes wide, the joy suddenly replaced by fear. His body began to shake fiercely, the hands that were holding onto the metal bars of the gates gripped them so tightly the knuckles started to turn white._

What's wrong?_ Ginji asked._

_The color drained from Kenji's face._ They've seen us.

_Ginji followed his gaze, turning to look at the huge windows._

_There, behind one of the windows on the first floor, a shadow looked down on them. _

_He could instantly feel the anger coming from it. He saw the pure hatred._

_He felt frightened, the voice inside his head whispering, _You've been caught.

* * *

Ban kept his eyes on Ginji as he ran along the corridor of the first floor, only taking his eyes away when he reached the large stairway leading into the entrance. 

He ran down the stairs, jumping the last ones, before stopping by the front door. He could still see Ginji outside, now standing beside the gates that stood at the far end of the driveway. His friend remained still, holding onto the bars of the gates, but Ban could see his head facing him. He couldn't see anything else through the heavy sheet of rain. He didn't have a clue as to what Ginji was doing, or why he was out there to begin with, but he still felt tense, the feeling gripping his chest like a vice.

Ban tried to open the front door but it was locked.

_How did he get out?_

He gritted his teeth, wondering if he should run upstairs to get Hajime, when he saw the window at the far end of the corridor, half open.

He didn't bother to question why Ginji would go to the trouble of climbing out the window and ran to it, pushing it open a little further before jumping outside. He closed the frame to keep the remaining water out.

The wind and rain whipped his face furiously as he ran across the driveway. It didn't take long for his shirt to start sticking to his skin. Within seconds he was soaked.

"Ginji!" he yelled as his partner's form drew closer. "What the hell are you doing?!"

He was meters from him now, but stopped when he saw Ginji's face.

* * *

_The shadow at the window disappeared, and Ginji's heart started to pound._

_Kenji moved closer to him. He could feel the boy trembling._

They're coming_, he whispered._

We have to run! _Ginji urged, but his own legs started to shake so badly he couldn't move._

They'd find us_, Kenji replied. _They did before.

_The other figures had stopped moving also, frozen, all huddled together in small groups. One figure holding the ball began to cry, the sound piercing the sudden silence. The sobs were quickly replaced by short, shaken gasps. Everyone started to creep backwards, knowing their efforts in an attempt to run anywhere would be futile._

_The shadow was looking at them through the windows near the main door now, its eyes wide and watchful. It held something in one hand._

What's that? _Ginji asked, knowing he'd prefer not to know the answer._

_Kenji didn't reply. His face was so white now Ginji thought he was going to faint._

_The shadow suddenly appeared at the window he had climbed through earlier. It lifted the frame up higher and crept through the gap. Ginji mentally cursed himself for not closing it, but knew it wouldn't have mattered. They would have opened the front door anyway._

_The shadow drew closer. The object in its hand glinted in the setting sun._

Kenji, it's a knife, _he whispered as he saw it, his heart rocketing against his ribcage._

_Kenji looked at him. Tears began to fall down that beautiful face._

It's our punishment_, he uttered, his voice barely audible. _I'm sorry … I'm so sorry …

_Ginji gripped the bars of the gate tighter. His heart was beating so fast now he thought it would burst._

_The shadow continued to creep closer._

Kenji …

I'm so sorry … _Kenji whispered. _They warned us … too many times …

What?

_The scream pierced the air like a blade._

_Ginji's eyes darted from Kenji's face to the shadow standing just meters away. It held one of the figures by the back of their neck, its nails digging into the child's skin. The knife in its other hand started to rise. The child began to sob uncontrollably._

No! _Ginji screamed._

_The blade cut across the child's neck so swiftly it barely made a sound. There was a gasp, a flash of blood, and then the child fell to the floor, dead._

_The shadow chuckled and turned to the other children._

_Ginji's legs shook so much he couldn't move. The other children stood still also, not even attempting to run away._

_The shadow suddenly stepped closer and swung the knife across another child's neck, the boy holding the ball. The ball rolled from his hands as he slumped to the ground and remained still. Blood began to seep onto the driveway under him._

_Ginji tried to yell out, but he was so overcome with fear the words never made it past his lips._

_The knife moved again, this time piercing the chest of one of the girls. She coughed, blood spurting from her mouth, before collapsing to the ground._

_Still none of them ran._

_The shadow continued to chuckle, a deep, horrifying sound, and wiped the knife on its clothing. It suddenly looked up at Ginji and smiled._

_Ginji froze._

_The shadow began to walk towards him, the knife twisting and turning between its fingers. Ginji then realized it wasn't looking at him._

_It was looking at Kenji. The smile on its face widened._

Don't! _Ginji yelled._

_But it was too late._

_The blade flew past his face, missing him by inches, and hit Kenji directly in his chest. Ginji saw the flash of silver pierce the boy's skin, puncturing his heart and cutting off his life. Kenji didn't have a chance to blink before he sunk to the ground, the knife embedded deep inside him._

_Ginji's eyes widened as he took in the still body slumped beside him. He felt cold._

_He turned back to the shadow._

_It was looking at Ginji now, smiling._

_The fear gripped his chest so tightly he could barely breathe, but he loosened his grip a little on the bars of the gate and turned to face the shadow._

_He didn't know how he found his voice, and when he spoke it started to break, but he managed to choke out his fears._

"_Are you going to kill me?"_

_He already knew the answer. But the shadow spoke also._

"_Yes."_

* * *

Ban froze when he saw Ginji's face, completely taken off guard. He didn't know what to say. A small gasp escaped his throat before he spoke.

"Ginji …?"

His friend was facing him, but Ban didn't feel like Ginji was _looking_ at him. His eyes were locked on his face but they seemed glazed over, seeing, but not acknowledging. His hands clung to the gate so tightly Ban could hear the metal bars beginning to shake. Even the rain that continued to plummet didn't faze him, pounding against his bare chest, soaking him through to the bone. At this rate his friend wouldn't be far from developing hypothermia.

Ban began to move closer. "Ginji."

Ginji tilted his head up slightly, his eyes suddenly locking on Ban's. They were so wide with fear Ban stopped abruptly in his tracks.

"Ginji."

Ginji spoke then, his voice so choked with fear it unnerved him, but what worried him the most was what he said, his voice breaking as he did so.

"Are you going to kill me?"

Ban had already suspected Ginji's reason for being outside was due to the effects of him dreaming, and hadn't wanted to wake him so abruptly if he were sleepwalking, but still his eyes widened as the words sunk in. He didn't know what to say in reply to that.

Ginji watched him, his eyes wide and frightened. His body continued to shake violently.

Ban said nothing and waited.

* * *

_The shadow continued to watch him, never moving, never blinking. It said nothing and stood completely still, its hands resting calmly by its sides. The warm breeze Ginji had felt earlier turned to an eerie chill, sending shivers of fear down his spine. The setting sun had almost sunk completely, casting a deep bloody red sky over the world. He no longer felt any happiness or joy now. Everyone one of his senses began to fill with the cold reality of death._

_The figures in the background started to disappear._

Wait! _Ginji thought frantically, but the words never escaped his lips. Kenji's body faded also, then vanished completely._

_The shadow smiled._

_Ginji wished with all his might it would disappear also, but it never did._

_The voice in his head continued to warn him._ What are you doing?! Move!

My legs … _Ginji whispered, trembling, still clinging to the gate._

Get out!_ The voice yelled. _Get out!

_The shadow chuckled and stepped closer._

_Ginji gasped, his heart practically in his throat, the pounding echoing in his ears._

_B-bmp … b-bmp … b-bmp … b-bmp …_

Go! Get out! _The voice screamed._

_B-bmp … b-bmp … b-bmp …_

_The shadow took another step._

_Ginji's fingers tightened on the gate._

_B-bmp … b-bmp …_

_The shadow was only a meter away. It lifted a hand and reached out to Ginji._

_B-bmp …_

_The voice spoke again._

RUN!!

_Ginji obeyed and began to climb the gate._

* * *

**Chapter Ten End**

**To Be Continued In Chapter Eleven**

* * *

**Author's Note: **Wow, I made it to chapter ten … a brownie point for me! But maybe I should deduct that point because this chapter is SO LATE. I'm so sorry for the late update. I'm trying to keep them between 1-2 weeks (failed!) 

I actually like the way this chapter came out (wait, is this me talking?) Haha. I know one of you mentioned you were looking forward to more Ban and Ginji, and I must say, even I didn't expect to write so much in this chapter. Ginji's part took up more pages than I thought, but hey, I just keep writing and I don't notice if the pages fly by (on Word they do!).

Thank you so much to those that have just added my story to your alert / favorites list. It continues to fuel my inspiration and I'm so grateful! Thank you! See you in chapter eleven!

Aoi


	12. Chapter 11: Ban's Plan B!

**Based on the story:** _Getbackers_

**Written by:** aoi kodomo

**Full Summary:** The Getbackers finally get their hands on a mission they can really sink their teeth into. However, when the spiritual world starts to cross with reality, will the duo be able to tell the difference between what's real and what's not? Does the ability to communicate with the dead really exist?

**Author's Note:** All characters of _Getbackers_ are copyright to Rando Ayamine and Yuya Aoki. Any additional characters are copyright to me.

**Rating:** T

* * *

**Get Back the Sacred Jewel**

**Chapter Eleven:** Ban's Plan B!

* * *

Ban's hand was inches from Ginji's face when his friend suddenly tried to bolt over the gate. 

"Ginji!"

Ban shot forward, his hand still stretched out. Ginji was almost leaning over the top when Ban took hold of the gate with one hand, his foot resting on the bottom bar, and reached up with his other hand, gripping Ginji's leg tightly.

Ginji clung to the top of the gate, still attempting to maneuver himself over.

"Ginji!"

"No!" Ginji shouted. "Let go!"

"No! You let go!" Ban demanded.

Ban gave his leg a hard tug.

Ginji's hands slipped from the top bar. His right knee whacked against the metal as he fell backwards.

Ban let go of his ankle and jolted back, his reflexes kicking in.

He felt Ginji's sudden weight push him backwards forcefully. Ban flung out his arm to hold him with his left hand as he stumbled to the ground. His right hand scraped along the driveway as it connected with the concrete, grazing his skin, almost bending his fingers back. He gritted his teeth against the pain. He lifted his hand quickly as his body skidded across the ground, before he came to an abrupt stop meters from the gate. Ginji landed in a heap on top of him.

Ban struggled into a sitting position, leaning back on one hand, holding Ginji with the other. For a short moment he didn't move, listening to the rain as it continued to pour down on them. He ran a hand through his now-flattened hair, resting his cheek against the palm. So many thoughts drifted across his mind but not one of them appeared on his face.

His friend suddenly moaned and he turned to him.

Ban rubbed a hand over Ginji's head. He noticed Ginji had a graze along his left arm where he couldn't stop him from hitting the ground.

Ginji groaned and opened his eyes. They blinked rapidly against the pouring rain.

"Ginji."

Ginji slowly sat up, his head turning to face the gate, then the driveway, then the mansion, before turning back to Ban. Those boyish eyes no longer showed the fright they had greeted him with earlier, just confusion.

"Ban …"

Ban let out a sigh. "Geez. I can't do anything with you, can I? What the hell are you trying to pull?"

"I –"

"I'd hit you right now if I wasn't so damn pissed!" Ban suddenly snapped, his patience seeping away from him.

Ginji blinked at the outburst. He carried on looking around him, opening and closing his mouth but not saying anything. His eyes flickered to and from the gate. He turned to look over Ban's shoulder, tracing his eyes down the driveway.

Ban said nothing. The fact of the matter was that he wasn't just pissed off, he was concerned. Ginji's body began to shake furiously against him. His bare skin felt like ice against his shirt.

"Ginji."

As though his voice had suddenly triggered something, Ginji's eyes suddenly widened as his head spun back around to face the gate. A gasp escaped his throat. His eyes locked on a spot near the ground. He began to move forward, his hand reaching out.

Ban placed a hand securely on Ginji's shoulder and grabbed his wrist.

"Inside," he ordered. "Now."

"Did you see them?" Ginji asked, his voice quivering slightly.

"Who?"

"Where are they?" Ginji asked, more urgently this time.

"Who, Ginji?"

"The children!" Ginji replied, tugging his wrist free. Ban immediately took hold of it again.

"We're going back inside, Ginji," he said firmly.

Ginji lowered his head. He spoke again but his voice was barely a whisper. "I wasn't … I couldn't …"

Ban relented a little. "You couldn't what?"

"Save them …"

Ban frowned at him. "What?"

"I couldn't!" Ginji snapped, suddenly grabbing on to Ban's shirt with his free hand. His body continued to shake violently. "I couldn't do anything! I didn't …" He gritted his teeth angrily. "I didn't … do anything …"

Ban looked at him. "Ginji –"

"I was so helpless," Ginji murmured. The grip on Ban's shirt tightened.

Ban said nothing and let go of Ginji's wrist, placing his hand on top of his dripping blonde head. He couldn't offer comforting words to something he couldn't comprehend, and he knew snapping at his partner would only fuel his own frustration. He wanted to smack some sense into Ginji, drag him back inside, jerk him back to reality, but felt the time wasn't right to do so.

Instead he remained silent, ruffling Ginji's hair as his only offering of comfort, and watched the rain continue to fall down on them.

* * *

"Here, drink this."

Ginji took the mug from Ban, his hands still shaking as he held it close to his lap. He stared into the steaming liquid thoughtfully.

"Drink it, Ginji," Ban repeated softly.

Ginji drank some of the tea reluctantly. He coughed when the hot liquid burned the back of his throat, but took a couple more sips just to make Ban happy. Despite the warming sensation that began to drift through his skin, plus the sheets Ban had cocooned him in, his body continued to shiver.

Ban sat on the edge of the bed and reached over to grab a cigarette from the nightstand. He lit up slowly, taking in a long drag, before resting his elbows on his knees and clasping his hands together. He blew out the excess smoke silently.

The mug Ginji held quivered as he brought it to his lips and took another sip.

Ban turned his head sideways to face him. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Ginji replied.

Ban nodded and took another drag on his cigarette. _Liar_, he thought, but said nothing.

The silence that settled over them wasn't uncomfortable, but Ginji broke it anyway.

"Ban."

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry."

Ban waved his apology away with a flick of his hand. "Don't be stupid. You've nothing to apologize for."

Ginji sighed and turned to look out of the window. He couldn't see the driveway or the gate from his sitting position, but could hear the faint moan of the metal bars as they rattled against the wind. It felt hard to believe that his vision of stepping outside was the warmth of a setting sun, when they had seen nothing but gray sky since their recovery mission had begun. The realism of the dream still struck him to the core. He couldn't shake the feeling of pure fear he felt from his shoulders, despite how much he wanted to. The shadow continued to flash across his mind.

"I don't even know what he looked like," he muttered. Did he even have a face? He couldn't remember.

Ban clicked his fingers abruptly in front of Ginji's face. Ginji blinked and turned back to him.

The cigarette resting between Ban's lips moved up and down as he spoke. "Don't worry yourself trying to remember, Ginji. Let it go for tonight."

"But –"

"Just go to sleep. We'll talk about this later."

"But I –"

"Ginji."

Ginji sighed and nodded reluctantly. "Okay."

Ban took the mug Ginji was holding from his hands and put out his cigarette in the lukewarm liquid. He placed the mug on the nightstand and stood up, walking over to the door and turning off the light. The pitch black darkness engulfed the room, the only faded light source provided coming from outside.

Ban returned to the other side of the room and sat on the bed. He leaned back against the wall and crossed both arms behind his head. He already repeated in his mind what he knew Ginji would say.

"I can't sleep."

Ban thumped his shoulder lightly and answered, "Idiot. Just close your eyes and be quiet."

"No," Ginji insisted. "I really can't sleep. These sheets are suffocating me!"

Ban smiled. "You doofus."

* * *

The banging sounds woke Shido up abruptly, adding to the headache that was already pulsing away at his temples. He tried to move his legs, but the attempt proved to be futile when he saw Emishi fast asleep on them, almost falling off the edge of the chair placed next to the bed. The mouse on his shoulder stirred also, letting out faint squeaks of speech.

"How long have I been asleep?" Shido asked, lifting a hand to stroke the small animal.

The mouse squeaked in reply.

Shido rubbed his head and peered down at Emishi. "What about him?"

The mouse squeaked again.

"Hmph, some bodyguard," Shido mused. "Pathetic."

"Pathetic," Ban's voice suddenly shot back from the doorway, "is having to watch over you while you dream of little bunnies and chipmunks." He leant casually against the doorframe and smiled, his morning dose of nicotine hanging loosely between his lips as he spoke. "It's no surprise your bodyguard there fell asleep."

"What are you doing here?" Shido huffed, letting his gaze slide sideways. "Isn't Ginji with you?"

Ban didn't answer and continued to smoke his cigarette.

_You stubborn bastard_, Shido thought, resting his arm across his forehead and gazing at the ceiling. He realized then that the banging noise hadn't stopped, each sound seeming to press further and further against his throbbing temples.

"What is that?" he asked.

Ban held the cigarette midway from his lips and turned to Shido. "There's someone upstairs fixing the beam in the attic. At least now we can go back up there." He brought the cigarette back to his mouth, then added, "but hey, if this new one falls maybe you'll have a second chance to actually dodge it."

Shido gritted his teeth angrily. "Are you trying to piss me off?"

"Relax, monkey boy," Ban smiled. "Why would I bother trying to piss you off so early in the morning? I've got all day to insult you."

"Then what do you want?" Shido growled, his eyes narrowing in annoyance.

"Just killing time until everyone wakes up," Ban replied, the smile still playing at his lips. "I didn't think you would wake up so soon. I thought perhaps you'd make like a bear and hibernate."

Shido clenched his fist tightly. "You –"

"Come into the dining hall when Emishi wakes up," Ban spoke over him, removing himself away from the doorframe. His voice drifted away as he disappeared down the corridor. "There might be a slight change of plan."

"What do you mean?" Shido asked, but he never got a reply. He turned to look out of the window. _Hmm … it's still raining_, he thought with a sigh.

He leaned back against the pillow and waited until Emishi woke up.

* * *

Ban wandered up to the second floor after checking on Ginji. His partner remained fast asleep, seemingly dreaming peacefully as he barely made a sound or a single movement. Or at least Ban only hoped he was sleeping soundly. Luckily he had caught Hajime cleaning when he left their room the first time, and had asked him to keep an eye on Ginji. Hajime was only too happy to oblige. He already knew, due to Shido's accident, that Ban wanted everyone to stay in pairs if possible, so didn't query as to why he was asked to watch Ginji. Ban just didn't want him to go wandering again.

He stopped at the opening to the attic, lighting a cigarette before treading quietly up the stairs. The banging had stopped but Ban could hear shuffling movements up there.

He reached the top of the stairs and immediately came face to face with Mr. Sakamuru.

"Mr. Midou! What are you doing up here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Ban said, leaning sideways to look past Mr. Sakamuru. The old beam he had pulled off Shido previously had disappeared from its landing spot under the window. A new one had already been fitted, the wood bright and looking out of place next to the older ones.

Ban looked back at Mr. Sakamuru, his usual clothing of sweatshirts and smart trousers replaced with an old shirt and ripped jeans. Underneath the rolled up sleeves of his shirt Ban could see tanned, well-built arms.

"Working hard, huh?" Ban mused, admiring Mr. Sakamuru's handy work.

"Sure am," Mr. Sakamuru replied with a smile. "Not bad for a man of 53, don't you think?" He began to roll down the sleeves of his shirt. "However I did have to ask for Hajime's assistance. I don't think neither of us are as strong as we used to be. Sorry if we woke you with the noise."

Ban said nothing and examined the new beam above him. "Sure hope it stays up this time."

"Good lord, I hope so!" Mr. Sakamuru laughed. "I'd certainly be out of work if I can't replace a simple beam!"

"Is that so," Ban mused, taking a slow drag on his cigarette. He already knew the field of work Mr. Sakamuru specialized in, but didn't realise he involved himself in the labor side. It was no surprise his family inheritance ran high. He walked over to the window and looked down at the grounds circling the side of the mansion. _Damn, it's still raining_.

Mr. Sakamuru let out a sigh behind him. "It's been raining for a while, huh? Being away on business I never realize how bad the weather gets here. I haven't been around much since your recovery mission began."

Ban remained silent and continued to stare out of the window.

Mr. Sakamuru moved to stand next to him. "I know certain … obstacles … have delayed your mission considerably, and I must apologize as I feel a majority of the fault falls on my shoulders. But the respect I have gained for you and Mr. Amano continues to grow as you are willing to stay here despite these obstacles … even your friends, especially Mr. Fuyuki."

Ban turned to him. "You mean monkey boy?"

Mr. Sakamuru smiled warmly. "Yes. To stay here regardless of his injuries is very admirable. I do feel a great deal of guilt he was hurt in the first place, but … I'm relieved he's okay."

_Hmph, it'd take more than a bump to the head to knock him down_, Ban thought, though he'd rather die than say it to Mr. Sakamuru, or Shido, for that matter.

For a moment neither of them spoke, listening to the rain as it ran down in sheets along the window. Ban moved away from the glass as he smoked his cigarette. He'd seen enough water to last him a lifetime. He found himself wondering if he would get any sleep tonight, or if he would end up staying awake and body guarding Ginji. He had a hunch it'd be the second alternative.

Mr. Sakamuru remained by the window. He cleared his throat and said quietly, "It must have been cold, running after your friend last night."

Ban glanced sideways at him. "What do you mean?"

Mr. Sakamuru shook his head. "Ah, nothing. But I could have sworn I saw you and Mr. Amano by the gates last night. I must admit I was deeply concerned. You both looked frozen to death." He looked at Ban as he spoke.

Ban shrugged and smiled. "It may have been your imagination."

"It doesn't do a person good to sit in the pouring rain in the early hours of the morning," Mr. Sakamuru replied. "But you appear fine this morning, so I trust Mr. Amano is just as well. You don't need a lecture from me to tell you how to take care of yourselves."

"No," Ban murmured, turning back to the window. "Tell me. Do the windows in this place always unlock from the inside?"

"Why would you want to know that?"

"Just curious." _He's not buying it_, Ban thought, but kept his reply at that. He could see Mr. Sakamuru practically piecing together his own theory as to why he had seen him and Ginji outside last night.

Mr. Sakamuru wasn't buying it, but he showed no indication saying he didn't. Instead he placed his hands in the pockets of his jeans and said, "The windows can be locked twice from inside. One is a manual lock that anyone can open – it's just taken off. The other way is to lock it manually then lock it again with a key, but only Hajime can do this. He keeps all the keys on him."

"I see. Thanks." Ban finished off his cigarette and began to make his way out of the attic.

Mr. Sakamuru followed him. "I'll be going away for a few days to follow up on a contractor's deal. It's difficult to keep traveling to work and back, so I've had to opt to staying in a hotel for a little while. But I trust Hajime will take good care of you."

"You're very trustworthy to leave seven people to randomly wander about your property," Ban said, walking out into the second floor corridor.

Mr. Sakamuru chuckled. "Mr. Midou, if you and your friends wanted something from me, you would have taken it by now. In fact, I must say that your company has been somewhat of an enjoyment this past week."

"Is that so?"

"It's rare for Hajime and I see the house so … lively."

_I wouldn't call it 'lively'_, Ban thought, but said nothing.

"I heard from Hajime that Mrs. Kawayuki was having some difficultly finding the children," Mr. Sakamuru said now, following Ban as he walked down to the first floor.

Ban looked at him. "They seem to hide from us and reappear whenever they feel like it." He thought about Ginji and the odd dreams he seemed to be having. If Ban was thinking along the right lines, it seemed the children were finding _him_ more than anything.

"I see," Mr. Sakamuru said. "I can assume that the whereabouts of the jewel hasn't come up either?"

"No." Ban felt a little bad for saying this. An ordinary recovery mission and they would've found their target a lot sooner, without the help of Shido, Emishi, Kazuki or Juubei. But from the beginning this job didn't start off as an 'ordinary' one. Ban sighed and lit up another cigarette. _The amount of time we've wasted on these damn kids … it's like they're preventing us from carrying out our job._

Mr. Sakamuru seemed to sense his frustration and smiled reassuringly. "It's okay," he replied. "I have every bit of confidence in you. I understand your need to remove these obstacles that are blocking your path first, and I believe you'll succeed in the end."

Ban smiled back. "We _will_ succeed in the end. I guarantee it."

* * *

_Crap … maybe I should of kept that to myself_, Ban thought as he made his way to the dining hall. Despite Mr. Sakamuru's reassuring smile, Ban could sense the slight doubt behind it, and felt the need to defend himself against his believed comment. He was hopeful a new piece of information would lead them somewhere, but didn't know for sure.

_Just smoke and say nothing next time_, he ordered himself, not really taking into account he did that a majority of the time anyway. With Mr. Sakamuru leaving for a few days it wouldn't matter so much now.

Emishi and Shido were already in the dining hall when he entered. Juubei and Kazuki were sat opposite them, surprisingly very quiet.

"What's up with you?" Ban asked, reaching for his cigarettes.

"Mrs. Kawayuki kept waking us up last night thinking there was someone taping on her door," Kazuki said, rubbing a hand over his face. "I did believe her, but whenever I looked or listened there was nothing."

Ban paused, his cigarette halfway to his lips. Had they not seen either him or Ginji then?

"What time was that?"

Kazuki shrugged. "After midnight. We reassured her nothing was there, so she fell asleep shortly after."

"After the twentieth time," Juubei said.

"At least you didn't wake up after getting smacked on the head," Emishi piped up, glaring childishly at Shido. "That really hurt, y'know."

"You wouldn't stop hugging my leg," Shido replied, arms folded casually. Ban could see the bandages wrapped around his upper arm and shoulder showing through under the sleeve of his t-shirt. He wondered if it hurt. The mouse was still with him, seemingly smug-looking sat perched on his shoulder.

"It was just a little squeeze!" Emishi protested.

"Then why didn't you let go!" Shido snapped.

"I didn't think you'd mind."

"Well next time you want to be my bodyguard go sit way on the other side of the room!"

Emishi sighed dramatically. "Oh Shido … why must you push me away so harshly? After all I've done for you –"

"You haven't done anything for me!"

"– I've taken care of you in your time of need, and this is how you thank me?" Emishi turned away, lowering his eyes as he did so. "I'm shocked to see such a horrible side of you."

"I'll show you a horrible side," Shido muttered, clenching his fist.

"To think," Emishi was murmuring now, "I really thought you and I could get along better than anyone … but you might as well rip out my soul and – guuuggggaah!"

Shido clasped his hands tighter around Emishi's neck, shaking him roughly. The mouse on his shoulder hung on for dear life. "I'll rip out your soul if that's what you want!" he growled. "You'll be so soulless even the afterlife won't have you!"

"Gugaah! That's – not – what – I – meant!" Emishi blurted as Shido shook him back and forth abruptly.

"Too late!"

"B-but Shido –!"

"You will _die_!"

A cough came from the other side of the room.

"Excuse me, ladies," Ban called.

The two halted and turned to him. Shido still kept his hands on Emishi's neck.

"Not to butt in on your acquainted love affair, but there's work to do."

Shido turned back to Emishi, before shoving him back roughly and returning to his seat. His shoulder started to throb. "Idiot."

"Who, me?" Emishi said it so innocently Shido wondered if he was being serious. He sighed and settled back in his chair. _What did I expect? He is the joker, after all_.

"Well, now that our morning entertainment is over … " Ban declared, lighting up another cigarette. He pulled up a chair and sat on it backwards, resting his arms over the top. "Our plan has taken a slight change. I figured you'd might like to know it."

"Wait," Kazuki said, "shouldn't we wait for Ginji?"

"I'll fill him in later."

"When you say 'slight'," Shido quipped, "you mean …?"

"Was I not speaking slow enough?"

"You son of a – !"

"Paul's sent some new info," Ban interrupted with a short smile. "I think it'd be a good idea to use it."

"About what?" Kazuki asked. "The children or the jewel?"

"The jewel. Currently known as the Raven's Eye."

"What?" Emishi leant forward in his seat. "You mean there's actually a name for it?"

"Yup."

"Wouldn't that make it more widely known?" Kazuki asked.

"You would have thought so," Ban replied, "but this piece of information is only a snippet. Paul stumbled across a small article that Toshihito Sakamuru jotted down himself, but we only know this man as Mr. Sakamuru's father. Whether he found the jewel himself, or was given it, he decided to call it the Raven's Eye. Not sure why. But the writing Paul found sounded a lot like he had considered selling it, as all it gave was a brief description of the jewel itself. But because it was written in his will that it should be passed on to Mr. Sakamuru, we think he changed his mind."

"Have you brought the writing with you?" Juubei asked.

"No, because it didn't say much more than that."

"So basically the 'slight' change in your plan is that the jewel now has a pretty name?" Shido shot back sarcastically.

"I've not finished, monkey boy," Ban replied tightly.

"Hmph." Shido glared at him in reply.

Ban turned to the others. "Written in the article was a sentence, '_The Raven's Eye currently resides in the dark of night'_."

The bells on Kazuki's hair jingled as he spoke. "So we've gotten our first clue to the actual whereabouts of the jewel. Problem is, it doesn't sound to me that it's inside anymore."

"If this Toshihito person wrote 'currently', he could have moved it at any time," Shido said, directing the statement at Ban. "When was this article written?"

"Not sure," Ban replied, stubbing out his cigarette and lighting another. "Paul's looking into that now."

"So you're saying," Shido said, "that you want us to drop our search in here and take it _outside_?"

The vicious rain that had plummeted over Ban and Ginji last night continued to pound on the windows that were located in the entrance hall and along the corridor. They could see the water stringing down the glass from where they sat, looking past the open doorway and beyond the staircase. The sky remained gray despite the early rise of the morning, and a faint rumble could be heard in the distance. As though right on cue, a small flicker of light skimmed past the glass, followed by the approaching greet of thunder.

Ban puffed away at his cigarette and shrugged at Shido. "Why not?" he asked innocently in reply to his question.

Shido cocked an eyebrow at Ban. "You've got to be kidding me."

* * *

_Ginji …_

Ginji's eyes flickered open, adjusting themselves to the dim lighting within the room. The wind murmured a faint whistle outside as he struggled to sit up, tangled in his nest of sheets that had been pushed around his legs.

_Ginji …_

Ginji rubbed his eyes with one hand, moving his head to look around the room.

A shadow stood next to the bed, looking down at him.

An image flickered across Ginji's mind, one he didn't like.

"Wha –!" In a sudden panic he stumbled out of bed, promptly falling flat on his face as the sheets wrapped around his legs prevented him from standing. "Oww …"

"Mr. Amano!"

Ginji blinked. He recognized the voice instantly and relaxed. "Hajime?"

"Are you alright?" Hajime removed the sheets from Ginji, pushing them to one side. Ginji shivered as his bare skin was exposed to the cold. Hajime noticed and gave him one back. "I'm sorry. Did I startle you?"

"Oh, heh," Ginji rubbed his neck sheepishly. "No, no, not at all! It's cool."

Hajime smiled apologetically at him. "I am sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."

"No, you didn't, I just –". Ginji paused. He just what? What was he doing before he woke up? He couldn't remember. Did someone call him?

Ginji turned to Hajime. "Hajime, just now, before I fell … did you say my name?"

Hajime shook his head. "No, I didn't. Why do you ask?"

"Nothing," Ginji replied. "It's fine." _Dream … _he suddenly remembered. _Damn, what was it?_ He could remember everything now. Running outside, Ban running after him, bringing him back indoors. But the dream itself … When he thought about it, images crept into his mind and quickly disappeared again, but none of them pieced together the vital parts, the parts he wanted to remember. _Damn, and Ban told me to let it go for the night. Now it's gone completely_.

He moved over to the window, looking out. Nothing but rain and flickers of lightning greeted him. Nothing but them. Nothing …

_There was something last night._

"Mr. Amano?"

_I followed it. No, them. Them …_

"Mr. Amano?"

_There was more than one. Way more._

"Mr. Amano? Are you okay?"

Ginji opened his mouth slightly. "All those smiling faces … gone."

Hajime frowned. "I'm sorry?"

"I – _Oww_!" Something smacked Ginji on his head as he was about to speak. "Oww …" he moaned as he rubbed his head, one eye open and locked on the person responsible.

"You dolt, don't ignore people when they speak to you!" Ban scolded, thumping Ginji's shoulder. A cigarette hung loosely from his lips. "Geez, what am I going to do with you?"

"Ow, ow, ow! Baaan, that huuurrt!"

"Don't 'Baaan' me! Listen when Hajime talks to you!"

Hajime smiled, raising his hands slightly. "Oh, no, that's okay, really –"

"See, Ban!" Ginji pointed childishly. "Hajime said it was okay! You didn't have to hit me! You're so mean!"

"Tch," Ban shoved his hands into his pockets. "It's your own fault for spacing out."

"I – ! Hmm." Ginji opened his mouth to protest, and then promptly closed it. His eyes widened as he was about to speak, only to gaze downwards in silence. Another image passed briefly across his mind, only to disappear before he could focus on it.

Hajime and Ban exchanged glances over Ginji's bowed head.

"I should go," Hajime said softly. "I have chores to attend to. Excuse me." With that he bowed politely and left the room.

Ban watched him leave before turning to Ginji. He was already gazing back out of the window. Ban shook his head. "You space case." He reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a cigarette.

"Hey Ban."

"What is it?"

"Can I talk to you about my dream now?"

Ban paused, the lighter millimeters from his cigarette. He smiled. "Can I light my cigarette first?"

Ginji's back was turned to him, but Ban saw the smile creep on his face. His friend gave a nod.

Ban leant his head closer towards his lighter …

… Only to have the tip of his cigarette zapped off!

Ban blinked. The shock lasted momentarily before he turned on Ginji, his eyes narrowing in anger. "You – !"

"Ah ha ha," Ginji threw him a grin. "Sorry. I couldn't resist."

Ban sighed and removed the cigarette from his lips. _Well, if he's acting so childish then it's only got to be a good sign. _"So tell me about this dream of yours."

* * *

**Chapter Eleven End**

**To Be Continued In Chapter Twelve**

* * *

**Author's Note: **I'm sorry, I'm sorry! The lateness – it's horrifying! Haha. 

I almost gave up on this chapter. In fact I don't really like it. But it would have been too much of a pain to go back and re-write it. Yeah … I guess my writer's block is back. I was on such a roll with the last chapter, too. But this one … oh man, first I wrote about 6 pages only to lose them all! It was such a pain to re-write everything because I couldn't remember my first one to every letter (unless I have a photographic memory, but I don't).

Then to top it all off my internet wouldn't work. Managed to sort it now, but … the inspiration went completely after that. Ah, well, I'm really sorry if this chapter doesn't meet my readers (yes that's you, haha) expectations. Especially those of you that have been waiting so long for this.

I do enjoy writing banter between the characters. Emishi and Shido are fun to work with (Shido especially – he's so easy to wind up!). Sometimes it's hard to write reactions that I can so clearly see in anime-mode.

To all of you that continue to give me encouraging reviews and adding this story to your favorites / alert list, thank you so much! For those that have stumbled across this story recently, welcome!

I hope to see you all in chapter twelve! Wish me luck! (And if someone has an axe on them, please come and chop down this writer's block of mine!). I'll stop rambling now.

Yours,

Aoi


	13. Chapter 12: Contact

**Based on the story:** _Getbackers_

**Written by:** aoi kodomo

**Full Summary:** The Getbackers finally get their hands on a mission they can really sink their teeth into. However, when the spiritual world starts to cross with reality, will the duo be able to tell the difference between what's real and what's not? Does the ability to communicate with the dead really exist?

**Author's Note:** All characters of _Getbackers_ are copyright to Rando Ayamine and Yuya Aoki. Any additional characters are copyright to me.

**Rating:** T

* * *

**Get Back the Sacred Jewel**

**Chapter Twelve:** Contact

* * *

'_The Raven's Eye currently resides in the dark of night'. Yeah right_. 

Shido ran a hand through his fly-away hair as he wandered aimlessly along the corridor. His palm brushed the mouse on his shoulder, giving it a little stroke before returning to the comfort of his pocket. He tried not to look out of the windows as they went by, the sight of rain making him more and more depressed.

He stopped at the farthest window and glanced outside.

_Nothing but rain_, he thought.

A flicker of light flashed before his eyes.

_And lightning_, he mentally added.

He went to move away when something caught his eye.

The window itself was shut, but the lock on the bottom was open. Having noticed that the other windows were constantly locked it seemed a little strange to him. _I thought Hajime kept all the windows locked_.

Shido clipped the lock shut and thought nothing more of it.

"Mr. Fuyuki."

He turned at the sound of his name. Hajime smiled back at him from the entrance hall.

"Hajime. What is it?"

Hajime lifted the telephone in his hand. "Phone call for you."

Shido frowned. "For me?" He couldn't think of anyone who would want to call him here.

"Yes."

Shido shrugged and walked over. He took the phone from Hajime and placed it to one ear. The mouse gave a sudden squeak. Shido gave a small smile, quickly apologized, and moved the phone to the other ear. "Hello?"

"Shido?"

Shido's eyes widened slightly as the voice rang softly through his mind. "Madoka?"

Hajime appeared to take that as his cue to leave. He gave Shido a small bow and disappeared into the dining hall.

Shido turned his attention back to the phone. "Is everything okay?" A sensation of sudden worry began to grow in his chest. Madoka never called him on a recovery mission. But then again, they only normally lasted a few days. He'd been here a whole week.

"I wanted to make sure everything was alright," Madoka's soft voice spoke back. "I heard from Miss. Natsumi that you were having trouble with your recovery mission. You've been gone a while, too."

Shido smiled. He rubbed the back of his neck, searching for a way to tell her. "Well, we've just hit a few snags along the way, that's all."

"I see."

Shido could visualize her so easily. Sitting against the window downstairs, the phone held in both small hands, pressed gently to her ear, eyes gazed downward in thought, a content smile on her lips. He doubted it was a response she wanted to hear.

He removed his hand from his neck and placed it on his hip, leaning against the wall. He felt bad because he hadn't called her. Because he knew she'd be filled in by Natsumi of the events happening. Ban always told Paul, Paul more than likely told Natsumi, and if Shido was a part of the mission, Natsumi kept Madoka informed. He knew that sometimes Natsumi would go and visit her to keep her company when he wasn't there, and of course she had Mozart.

A small sigh escaped his throat. "I'm sorry. I'm not sure when I'll be back. This job turned out to be a lot more difficult than what we first imagined."

"You don't have to apologize," Madoka said. "As long as you're alright."

"Yeah." Shido smiled into the phone.

The silence that followed wasn't an uncomfortable one. Shido listened closely to her faint breathing as it echoed down the phone. Her eyes were closed now, he could tell. He knew that she probably had a vision of how he was standing also. It suddenly occurred to him how much he was missing her. Even though he would probably never say it, he had a feeling she knew all too well.

The mouse gave a loud squeak, abruptly breaking the silence.

"What was that?" Madoka asked.

Shido looked at the mouse and shook his head. "My new friend. He's been following me for a while now."

"Is that a mouse?"

Shido nodded, though he knew she couldn't see. Her hearing was impeccable as always. "Yeah."

"The animals don't seem to stay around as much when you're not here," Madoka said. She gave a small chuckle down the phone. "It seems I'm not the best substitute for them."

"Is that so." Shido smiled. _Some food and they'll be running back to her_.

"I have to go," Madoka was saying now. "I have a recital tonight I need to rehearse for. I hope you'll have the chance to listen to it when you come home."

"I will," Shido said sincerely. A sudden thought came to him. "Madoka, tell me, is it raining in Shinjuku?"

"It's not. Why?"

"Just wondered."

He could hear Madoka's innocent laugh through the faint crackling of the phone. "Bye, Shido. Be safe."

"Okay." Shido kept his reply at that, but his voice softened to a degree that he only ever revealed to her. She knew this too. He could see her smile in his mind, before the faint click of the phone and the dead line tone came back to him. He waited a moment before putting the phone back in its holder.

He sighed and leaned his back against the wall. He forgot about his shoulder and promptly whacked it against the hard surface.

"Ungh!" Shido grunted against the unexpected pain that coursed up his arm and along his back. His hand quickly came up to reach over his neck to his shoulder blade. His fingertips reached inside his t-shirt and just touched the top of the wound. He could feel a slight warmth come from it through his bandages.

"Damn!" he cursed in a whisper. One eye closed involuntarily against the pain.

The mouse squeaked in concern.

"Heh, it's okay," Shido smiled. "Damn thing just hurt more than I thought." He kept his fingers lingering over the bandages and took a step towards the dining hall. "Let's go."

"Shido!"

He'd barely moved a foot when Emishi's concerned face emerged from behind the banisters of the stairs. Shido turned just as his friend came bounding up to him, leaving dust in his wake. Shido sighed. _Jesus, does he teleport or something?_

"That looked painful! You okay? You didn't reopen your wound, did you?"

"You –" Shido opened his mouth to speak but then promptly closed it. He turned to the banisters before turning back to Emishi. His eyes narrowed and his face changed dramatically as his voice immediately took on a threatening tone. "How long have you been there?"

"Eh?" Emishi blinked, a sheepish smile emerging on his face. "Oh, err …"

"Were you there the whole time?"

"Well, I –"

"Did you hear?"

"Hear what?" Emishi asked innocently.

That only convinced Shido more. "You sneaky little bastard! You heard everything, didn't you?!"

"No!" Emishi held out his hands in protest. "I didn't hear anything between you and Madoka – oops!" He promptly clamped his hands over his mouth.

A low growl began to emerge from Shido's throat.

"You know," Emishi said slowly, removing his hands from his face. "You should really tell Madoka about that." He pointed to Shido's shoulder. "I'm sure she deserves to know. Although your conversation was really sweet." He smiled and clasped his hands together. "Ahh, to be young and in loooove. You smooth operator, you!" He slapped Shido's back heartedly.

"Gaaggh!"

"Whoops!" Emishi's smile froze in place as Shido's expression darkened in anger. His hand remained on Shido's back for what seemed like an eternity.

Shido's glaring eyes turned on him. To Emishi's overactive mind they glowed blazingly with anger.

"Gah!" Emishi brought a hand up to his face defensively, jumping back in shock.

"Are you trying …" Shido growled slowly "… _TO KILL ME!!_"

It was a _slight_ exaggeration, but Emishi was already making a hasty retreat before Shido finished his sentence. The beast master wasted no time in following him.

"It was an accident!" Emishi yelled, running for his life. He headed into the dining hall, nearly knocking Hajime off his feet as he zoomed past. The door to the kitchen was shut so he began running circles around the table.

"This time … this time … I really am going to kill you!" Shido threatened, his hands inches from Emishi's neck.

"EEEAAAHHHH! I'm soooorrrryyy!"

Hajime watched, bemused, but his eyes quickly locked on Shido's back. "Mr. Fuyuki!" he said, concerned. "Your wound's bleeding!"

Shido paid no attention, locked his hands on his target and soon had Emishi in a head lock. His voice came out low and menacing. "_Die_!"

"H-ha-ji-me!" Emishi choked. "M-medical kit!"

"Of course," Hajime said, lifting his hands quickly as he turned to Shido. "Please, Mr. Fuyuki, try not to move around so much. It will only aggravate your injury and make it worse."

Emishi gasped. "Not for _him_!" he blurted, desperately trying to break free. "For _me_!"

* * *

The noise from downstairs made Ban's temples throb. He lit his cigarette, eyebrow twitching in annoyance as he did so, and took a slow drag. He leaned back on one hand and blew the excess smoke upwards. Deprived of sleep and he was never in the best of moods, but he knew he would be on his guard for the next night approaching. Ginji would fall asleep as always, practically in a coma, like he always did.

_But I can't control what happens when he's asleep_, Ban thought, looking over at Ginji. He couldn't demand Ginji not to sleep, but he didn't fancy a reoccurrence of the previous night.

_There's no way in hell I'm running around in the early hours of the morning again chasing after your ass_. He directed this thought at Ginji, hoping it would reflect in his gaze, but his friend wasn't even looking at him. A small sigh escaped Ban's lips. _Damn, what's the point? _He asked himself.He knew he'd do the exact same thing if it ever happened again.

_I could knock him out_, he considered, idly turning the cigarette around between his lips. But as he visually imagined it, he didn't think it was an idea worth trying.

The floor was horribly uncomfortable beneath him, so Ban shuffled his weight and polished off his cigarette. Usually he would immediately light another, but instead he sat back against the door of the bathroom and stared at his friend.

Ginji remained quiet as he sat opposite him, leaning against the bed. His eyes were lowered, locked on the floor, but he wasn't _looking_ at anything. Every so often he would lift his head to look at the window, but each time he never spoke.

Ban said nothing and thought back to what Ginji told him just moments ago. The details of Ginji's dream were very sparse, only due to the fact that his friend couldn't remember everything, but a majority of it interacted with when Ban had left their room the previous night. He slowly pieced together what Ginji had told him to the moments when he'd looked out the window to see Ginji outside and had ran after him. Ginji didn't know it was Ban of course, the fact that a 'shadow' had suddenly appeared being the only fear on his mind at the time, so when Ban mentioned this to Ginji, his friend began to understand why the dream had felt so realistic.

_No wonder he tried to run. But there's something bugging him_, Ban thought, leaning his head back against the door, glancing at Ginji through lowered eyes. He knew Ginji had a vague recognition of the children that appeared in his dream, and the horrible fate that had seemed to await them, but one detail appeared to have kept itself in the dark recess of Ginji's mind. His friend had simply said, "There's one thing I wanted to remember. But I can't."

And that had been that. That one sentence brought them to where they were now. Sat on the floor while he smoked and digested this information and Ginji remained deep in thought trying to remember.

_My butt kills in this position_! Ban shuffled his weight again in annoyance. His hand brushed against the cigarette packet on the floor. He picked it up and promptly threw it at Ginji's head.

"Ungh!" Ginji's eyes closed at the sudden impact. They quickly opened and looked at Ban.

Ban leaned his elbow on a raised knee and pointed a slender finger at Ginji. "Chances are the more times you try to remember, you won't. I'm starting to get numb sat here."

Ginji rubbed his head and gave him a boyish grin. "Eh heh, sorry Ban."

_Damn, he got me_, Ban thought, chewing the inside of his lip. He sighed and waved his hand in a 'give me' sign. "Don't be, stupid. Now give me back my cigarettes."

As he lit up his umpteenth cigarette Ban made a mental list of what he should have been doing. He should have been contacting Paul to see if he could squeeze any more information out of him. He should have been checking to see how Mrs. Kawayuki was doing with her hunt for 'spiritual activity'. He should have been checking that Juubei and Kazuki were still with her. He didn't need to check on Shido and Emishi as he could hear them trying to kill each other downstairs. He desperately wanted to take the search outside but couldn't until the rain ceased.

A crash of thunder sounded above them. Ginji jumped, turning to the window to watch the rain tumble down and the lightning flicker past. He gave a small sigh.

Ban groaned and thumped his head back against the door. _Yeah. Like that will happen any time soon_.

* * *

Mrs. Kawayuki's eyes were tightly shut as she sat peacefully in her chair. The wooden legs creaked under her weight, but no one said a word. Every so often she would take a deep breath, wait painfully long moments, then breathe out again. She never made a sound, the only indication of life coming from the rise and fall of her chest. Despite the fact that most of the looks displayed on her face looked evil, now she appeared calm, tranquil …

_She looks … dead_, Kazuki thought, his eyes widening in horror. Her pale skin looked even paler under the dim lighting. A horrible thought occurred to him. _Oh God, what if she is dead and I've been standing here this whole time?! _Kazuki took a hesitant step forward.

"Umm, Mrs. Kawayuki?" He said, keeping his voice as low as possible.

One beady eye opened abruptly and glared at him from the centre of the room. Kazuki jumped and took a step straight back. Despite Shido's insistence that she was 'a deaf old bat', Kazuki was beginning to doubt that theory very much.

"What is it, dear?" Mrs. Kawayuki asked, shutting her eye.

"Sorry," Kazuki apologized quickly. "It's nothing."

"Hmmm." Mrs. Kawayuki shuffled in her chair slightly, barely moving an inch, before resuming her previous position. She rested her hands on her lap and was quiet once more.

Kazuki rubbed the back of his neck uncertainly. He turned around to see if Juubei would walk through the doorway, as his friend had gone to see what the commotion was between Shido and Emishi. It did sound like Emishi had taken it one step too far this time.

_Shido's going to do something awful if Emishi keeps pushing his buttons like that_, Kazuki thought. He gave a small sigh.

"Don't sigh like that, dear!" Mrs. Kawayuki scolded suddenly, her eyes still closed.

Kazuki quickly removed his hand from his neck and promptly placed it by his side, feeling like a naughty school boy being told off.

"Oh, I'm sor –"

"Ssssh!" Mrs. Kawayuki placed an aging finger on her lips. "You'll scare him!"

Kazuki frowned. _Him_?

"He's standing next to you, dear," Mrs. Kawayuki whispered as though she had heard his thought. "Please, be still."

Kazuki froze. The muscles in his back and shoulders began to tense as a shiver crept up his spine. He turned his head to look around the room, but there was no one around besides him and Mrs. Kawayuki. However he could feel the air grow colder as an uncomfortable feeling began to drift over him, making the small hairs on his arm stand on end. He didn't like it.

Something brushed his arm and he jolted back abruptly. His elbow hit the lamp sat on the table next to him. It fell sideways with a loud clatter.

"Don't move, dear!" Mrs. Kawayuki ordered. "He won't hurt you."

"I can't see him," Kazuki said, searching frantically around the room.

"I told you, didn't I?" Mrs. Kawayuki said quietly. "He's stood right next to you."

Kazuki directed his head downwards once more and concentrated on the one vacant spot next to him. A faint essence of life seemed to drift from the spot, and when he squinted his eyes he could almost see a figure stood there, staring up at him.

Kazuki remembered his first time seeing one of the children in this mansion, the evil expression he and Juubei had been greeted with. It shook him to the core, and now the same feeling started to well up in his chest. He was beginning to put that same image to the figure stood next to him. Involuntarily he took another step back.

"Please stop moving," Mrs. Kawayuki said, her voice more insistent. "A single wrong movement can decipher whether you're his enemy or his friend. He is only a child, after all."

"Uh, but I –"

A hand reached up and clutched his arm. The touch was so cold, like a icy breeze wrapping itself around his skin. Kazuki shivered and tried to keep as still as possible.

"Let go of him," Mrs. Kawayuki whispered.

Kazuki looked up, his brow creasing in confusion. "What?"

"What is your business here?" she said now. "Why haven't you moved on?"

Kazuki realized that she wasn't talking to him, but the child next to him. The silence was suddenly broken by a voice. The faint whisper echoed around the room, so eerily soft it didn't feel human.

_Waiting …_ the voice whispered.

"What are you waiting for?" Mrs. Kawayuki asked calmly.

The grip on Kazuki's arm tightened. His fingers began to feel tingly and numb. He stood for what seemed like forever, his ears pricked up, when the voice spoke again.

… _To… kill…_

Kazuki's eyes widened. They wanted to kill? Kill who?

"Who is it you want to kill?" Mrs. Kawayuki asked. Her eyes remained shut as she spoke.

Another touch fell on Kazuki's skin, another hand. The child continued to squeeze his arm, but he still couldn't see it properly.

_Them … _the voice spoke again.

"And who are them?"

_Them!_ … the voice repeated, more urgently this time.

"Tell me who it is you wish to kill," Mrs. Kawayuki said.

_Them!_ … the voice said again.

Kazuki sensed the child getting angry. He began to feel the growing frustration as the child dug his fingers into his arm, not hard enough to draw blood, but when he tried to pull his arm away, the child clung on tightly. Then Mrs. Kawayuki asked the question that he himself was curious to know.

"Are we 'them'?"

The grip on Kazuki's arm relaxed slightly. _You …_

"Yes. Are we 'them'?" Mrs. Kawayuki asked again.

_You … you're in the way …_ the voice said.

"What?" Kazuki whispered. He flinched when the grip on his arm tightened again.

_In the way …_ the voice whispered. _In the way …_

The uneasy feeling in Kazuki's chest grew stronger. He tugged at his arm, only to have it pulled back. Scratches began to appear in his skin.

_Leave_ … the voice said. _Leave … you're in the way … leave …_

Kazuki put his hand over the one on his arm, but all he grabbed was only his own flesh. The scratches immediately started on his other arm. The child pulled at his t-shirt as he frantically tried to shake him off.

"Let go!" he yelled, his voice echoing around the room.

"No, Mr. Kazuki!" Mrs. Kawayuki shouted, turning around in her chair, her eyes now open. "Please don't aggravate him!"

The faint sounds of laughter erupted from every corner of the room, surrounding them. A chuckle came from the child stood next to him.

_Leave … _the voice spoke, followed quickly by another. _Leave … go away … go away …_

"Unh!" Kazuki freed himself with one hard tug, his back slamming into the wall behind. Before he could move a cold touch crept over his neck, wrapping itself tightly around his throat. He reached up with his hands, only to have them grabbed and pulled down by his sides. He glanced down and saw two children grinning up at him.

_Leave _… a voice whispered in his ear.

He turned his head and saw another face smirking at him. The eyes were wide and crazed … two small pupils locked directly onto his. He couldn't see a body, the shoulders and the arms wrapped around his neck the only ligaments visible from the wall.

"Mr. Kazuki!"

Before Mrs. Kawayuki could get up, the chair was swept out from underneath her. Her old frame tumbled awkwardly to the floor, her head hitting the old floorboards with a sickening _crack_. A painful groan escaped from her throat. Then she remained still.

"Mrs. Kawayuki!" Kazuki pulled himself forward, only to have the arms on his throat tighten and pull him back. He gasped, a choking sound forced out of him as pressure was applied to his windpipe.

He tried to bring his hands up but the other two children clung on. He struggled to look down, the pressure on his throat getting stronger, and could see the children still grinning at him.

"W-what … are you … d-doing?" Kazuki croaked.

His head was forced upwards, the grip on his neck so tight now he was beginning to feel dizzy. The hands tugged abruptly on his throat.

"Gaagh!" Kazuki coughed, one eye squinted open against the pain as his head was pulled backwards to face the ceiling.

Many faces grinned back at him, too many to acknowledged, but they started to fade as a mist of blackness began to descend over his vision. He could still hear their voices drifting through the enclosing darkness.

_Go away … kill … kill …_

The next voice Kazuki heard was his own, sounding full of disbelief. _I can't believe you're letting yourself go like this!_

_Heh_. He forced out a laugh. _Shut up …_ _I c-can't … move …_

The pain finally began to cease as he let the darkness engulf him completely. As he fell into nothingness, a face flickered briefly across his mind.

_Juubei …_

He continued to fall …

… then knew nothing.

* * *

**Chapter Twelve End**

**To Be Continued In Chapter Thirteen**

* * *

**Author's Note: **Oh no it's been _forever_ since I updated. Way before Christmas, but now that's over my new year's more flexible and free so I can finally concentrated on writing / finishing this story (haha it's no where near finished though, trust me). I hope I haven't let any of you down with the lateness, or that you've thought I'd given up and disappeared.

This is _not_ my best chapter. I started it ages ago and really wanted to change the whole thing but it would have taken to long. I think you can probably tell I still love to write Shido / Emishi banter. I can't get enough of those two.

Anyway to those that I hope are still with me and reading this – I hope you had a great Christmas and New Year and will continue to enjoy good things through 2008.

Hopefully see you in chapter thirteen!

Aoi


	14. Chapter 13: Words

**Based on the story:** _Getbackers_

**Written by:** aoi kodomo

**Full Summary:** The Getbackers finally get their hands on a mission they can really sink their teeth into. However, when the spiritual world starts to cross with reality, will the duo be able to tell the difference between what's real and what's not? Does the ability to communicate with the dead really exist?

**Author's Note:** All characters of _Getbackers_ are copyright to Rando Ayamine and Yuya Aoki. Any additional characters are copyright to me.

**Rating:** T

* * *

**Get Back the Sacred Jewel**

**Chapter Thirteen:** Words

* * *

It was a comforting darkness. 

Not a suffocating and lonely darkness, but a calming one.

He felt content to stay as he was, not moving, not responding, but _alive_. The pressure had gone from his neck, meaning he could finally stop struggling, but something uncomfortably solid propped his back up. He felt his head loll forward, his chin resting on his chest.

_Get up …_

Kazuki's brows knitted together. _They're still here,_ he thought, annoyed.

Those damn children … those damn voices … why hadn't they left?

_Go away,_ he thought angrily. _Just go away._

A firm touch rested on his shoulder - a hand - shaking him roughly.

Kazuki lifted his arm, finally free from the grasp of the child who had taken hold of it, and whacked at the hand on his shoulder, forcing it off. He tried to open his eyes, only to be greeted by the fuzzy blackness, and quickly closed them again.

The hand was on his shoulder again.

_Kazuki …_

Kazuki struggled to focus on the voices, no longer the snickering sounds he had heard earlier, but deeper, worried voices. He attempted to open his eyes again; the blackness now succumbed to the outer areas of his vision, and saw the floorboards underneath him.

"Kazuki!" a familiar voice called.

Another voice followed. "Let me try, Juubei."

A hand was placed on either of his shoulders now. His whole body was shook abruptly. His head suddenly jolted back, forcing his eyes open, before it promptly hit the solid surface of the wall behind him. The blackness was immediately replaced with dancing spots.

Kazuki groaned and clutched his head. "Unnn …"

"Emishi, you idiot!" Shido's voice scolded. "What the hell are you trying to do?!"

"I'm sorry! It was an accident! … Maybe he didn't feel it?"

Kazuki blinked a few times, making the spots turn from black to green, before they slowly disappeared and Shido's and Emishi's faces came into view. At first he thought he was hallucinating, but then again what he saw wasn't that huge of a surprise.

Shido had a hold of Emishi's neck in a headlock.

"_You _were an accident!" Shido wrapped his arm tighter around Emishi's neck and squeezed. "Let's bash your head on the wall and see how you feel!"

"Kazuki." A comforting hand rested on Kazuki's back. He looked up into Juubei's concerned face.

"Juubei."

Juubei gave a sigh with relief. "Are you okay?"

Kazuki rubbed his throbbing head and sighed. "Yeah." _I should have guessed. _But the jolt Emishi had greeted him with quickly brought him back to his senses. His eyes widened as he realized what he had been doing. He scanned the room and saw that, apart from them four, it was empty. No children, no voices, no Mrs. Kawayuki.

"Juubei!" Kazuki grabbed Juubei's arm, his voice full of worry. "Mrs. Kawayuki! Where's Mrs. Kawayuki?"

Shido suddenly released Emishi like an unwanted doll. The mood in the room changed so quickly Kazuki felt his own changing with it. His hand tightened on Juubei's t-shirt.

"Where is she?" he asked, more urgently this time.

The three of them exchanged glances, a look of uncertainty passing between them. Juubei turned back to Kazuki and said, "An ambulance has just taken her away to the hospital in Shinjuku. Ban and Ginji have gone with her."

Kazuki said nothing as he digested this information, cringing as he remembered the sound her head had made when it hit the floor. _It's my fault_, he thought as the guilt began to dawn on him. _I shouldn't have annoyed them._

Juubei studied him. He placed a reassuring hand on Kazuki's shoulder.

Kazuki turned to him and asked anxiously, "Is she okay?"

Again another glance was shared between the three guys. The worry in Kazuki's chest grew deeper as Juubei answered sadly, "We don't know."

* * *

The faint hum of machinery floated around the white hospital room, sounding eerily comforting, but so very frightening at the same time.

Ginji listened closely to the sounds of Mrs. Kawayuki's steady heartbeat, flashing green on the small monitor standing next to her bedside. Many wires crossed over one another near the bed, too many to count. Some of the wires were connected to Mrs. Kawayuki herself, looking so uncomfortable Ginji wished nothing more than to be able to take them out, but knew enough to know that all the scary wires and monitors and machinery were keeping her alive.

A cup of cold coffee rested in his hands, and he brought it to his mouth, pausing as the rim touched his lips. He sighed and lowered it again.

_Why did this have to happen?_

Seeing Mrs. Kawayuki lying there, so frighteningly still, Ginji's judgment of the children was rapidly changing. Were they good? Were they bad? Why would they harm Mrs. Kawayuki like this? And Kazuki … why did they try to hurt Kazuki? From what Juubei had told him Kazuki was moments away from being strangled to death before he had ran into the room. Whatever spiritual activity that had been there had abruptly stopped when Kazuki had slumped down the wall.

_Maybe the children thought he was dead_, Ginji thought, staring into the cup of dark liquid. He already knew, from his own experience, that it would have been impossible for Kazuki to break away from the children's grasps. The children could touch or grab them but they weren't able to do the same.

_So it's come to this_. Ginji looked back at Mrs. Kawayuki. He reached out and placed a warm hand on top of her cold, wrinkled one. They didn't have a chance of getting the children to leave now. It would be too dangerous now to try and ask someone else to make the children disappear. They would have to work around them, find the jewel and leave as soon as possible. But after all that had happened, Ginji wondered, would it be safe for Hajime and Mr. Sakamuru to stay in the mansion? Somehow he was beginning to doubt it.

A warm palm suddenly rested on his head, the fingers slipping across the tufts of his blond hair. Ginji looked up and, keeping his voice low, said, "Oh Ban, it's you. I didn't hear you come back."

Ban studied him over the rim of his glasses. He turned his head to Mrs. Kawayuki, removed his hand from Ginji's hair and walked over to the window, looking out at the gray sky. Oddly enough the rain had ceased when they had entered Shinjuku. Now it trickled down the window in slow, lopsided streams.

Ginji watched Ban's back. He could see Ban's reflection in the glass; one hand placed in his pocket, the other hanging by his side, the two first fingers pressed gently together, the others bent slightly.

Ginji couldn't help but smile. _He wants a cigarette._

Ban caught his smile in the window. He addressed Ginji's reflection. "What?"

Ginji shook his head. He lifted his hand from Mrs. Kawayuki's and placed it back on his cold coffee cup. "Nothing," he replied.

Ban turned around to lean back against the glass, folded his arms and watched Ginji carefully. Once again the soft beep of Mrs. Kawayuki's heartbeat filled the room. Silent words of the unknown outcome passed between the two boys.

It seemed like forever before someone entered the room. Ginji had almost fallen asleep into his stone cold coffee. Ban had been watching him as time passed, but lifted his gaze when the doctor walked in. He moved away from the window and stood next to Ginji, giving him a nudge. Ginji looked up also.

"Will she be okay, doctor?" Ginji asked hesitantly, unsure if he wanted to hear the answer.

The young doctor flipped a few papers over on his clipboard and shook his head. "It's touch-and-go at the moment," he said softly, in a seemingly I-deliver-bad-news-all-the-time voice. "She's sustained quite a severe injury to her head, and if we're not careful, I'm afraid to say she may die."

Ginji's eyes widened and he leaned forward in his chair. Ban placed a hand on his shoulder. Ginji looked at him before turning back to the doctor. "Die?" he repeated anxiously.

"Her age makes it very risky to try operating," the doctor said. "But what's also worrying is that she's not regained consciousness yet. In accidents such as these the patient can easily deteriorate or even slip into a coma. I'm hoping this doesn't happen. We need to run more tests to find out what the final outcome is. At the moment the only thing keeping her alive is that machine." He nodded towards the ugly white piece of machinery next to Mrs. Kawayuki's bed. "In this circumstance we've had no choice to put her on life support."

Ginji looked at the machine, silently pumping life into Mrs. Kawayuki's body.

"From what the nurses have found out she has no current relatives," the doctor said, placing a hand in his white coat pocket. "Do you boys know of any friends or perhaps a next of kin that we can contact?"

Ban pushed his glasses up his nose with a slender finger. "No, I'm afraid we don't," he replied.

"Very well," the doctor said. "We'll continue to try and search for a point of contact. You boys may return home if you prefer. We have your number on record, Mr. Midou, so we will contact you at the first sign of change."

Ban thanked him and shook his hand briefly. The young doctor gave a small bow before exiting the room, his clip board secured tightly under his arm as he left.

Ban's eyes narrowed slightly. At the end of it all, a little piece of paper would tell them the final result of Mrs. Kawayuki's health. Ban could only hope the outcome would be one they wanted to hear.

Outside the corridor footsteps echoed and a voice suddenly boomed, "Visiting hours will be over in 10 minutes!"

Ban glanced down at Ginji and gave his shoulder a short squeeze. "Let's go, Ginji. We need to head back."

Ginji said nothing, but gave a small nod and stood up, touching Mrs. Kawayuki's hand one last time. He turned to Ban and asked, "Do you think she'll be okay?"

Ban didn't know, and didn't reply to the question. Instead he ushered Ginji out of the room and they made their way outside to the car.

* * *

It was a long drive back from Shinjuku to the Sakamuru mansion. Day began to slip into night and the never-ending rain meant Ban had to drive twice as slow across the winding roads. Sometimes they would pass the odd vehicle but it seemed that very few people were willing to drive through the weather.

Ban desperately wanted to smoke. Due to those cursed hospital regulations he couldn't smoke on the premises, which had meant being cigarette-less for – what felt like to him – forever. _Damn smoking policies_, he thought, his fingers tightening on the wheel.

"Ginji, grab me a cigarette, will you?" Ban asked, keeping his eyes fixed on the road. "They're in the glove compartment."

When he didn't get a reply Ban quickly glanced sideways to see if Ginji had fallen asleep.

He hadn't.

Ginji kept his gaze straight ahead, watching the rain flying from left to right on the windscreen, being swept away by the ladybug's window wipers before splashing down all over again. A sigh slipped from his throat as he thought about Mrs. Kawayuki and what they would say to the others when they got back.

_Kazuki was coming round when we left_, Ginji thought, moving slightly to make himself comfortable on the car seat. _How will the others feel when they find out Mrs. Kawayuki's got a head injury?_

The car suddenly jerked to the left before it screeched to an abrupt halt, startling Ginji from his thoughts. He looked at Ban, who pulled the handbrake up and put the gear in neutral, before he leaned over Ginji and started rummaging through the glove compartment.

"Ban?" Ginji looked down at the back of Ban's head. "What are you doing?"

"Getting a cigarette," Ban replied, retrieving a packet from the back of the compartment. He took his seatbelt off and dug deep into his trouser pocket and pulled out his lighter. He lit up and leaned back in his seat, taking a deep, contented drag. His eyes closed for a moment, but when he opened them again they were resting on Ginji.

Ban blew the excess smoke towards the windscreen. The constant squeak of the window wipers began to annoy him so he switched them off. He turned his head to face Ginji and asked, "What's wrong with you, Ginji?"

Ginji blinked at him. "Huh?"

"Don't 'huh' me," Ban said. "Answer the question."

Ginji stared into the open glove compartment and said, "I guess I'm just worried. I never thought someone involved in our assignment would get hurt like this. And … well, since the last dream I had I was beginning to think the children wouldn't harm anyone."

"You can't expect your dreams to be completely true, Ginji," Ban said, halfway down his cigarette already.

"But I really think they're related," Ginji said. "And in the dream I had they were so innocent and harmless. Why would ghosts want to hurt Mrs. Kawayuki?"

"We don't know if they're responsible until we hear the full story from Kazuki," Ban replied. He polished off his cigarette and lit another. "We only saw them after the commotion, so we don't know for sure what happened."

"Yeah, you're right," Ginji said, looking up at the windscreen. He couldn't see past the heavy river of rain. "Sorry, Ban."

Ban looked at him, the cigarette jumping up and down as he spoke. "For what?"

Ginji's hand tightened on the fabric of his shorts. "Not sure," he murmured, before turning to Ban and flashing him a big, childish grin. "Just thought I'd throw that out there."

Ban smiled, the cigarette resting between his curved lips. He leaned over and tapped the side of Ginji's head softly with his knuckles. "You're such a doofus," he replied.

* * *

The mansion was completely engulfed in darkness when they returned, the only visible light coming from one of the reception rooms downstairs.

Ginji got out of the car and shut the door. The soft light of the moon shone down on him behind the rain clouds, and he tilted his head upwards, letting the water run down his cheeks. Mrs. Kawayuki's face flickered across his mind and he lowered his head with a sigh. _Please be okay_, he thought.

Ban locked the car and walked beside Ginji, his hands nestled comfortably inside his pockets. The temptation to light a cigarette whelmed inside him, but he held back, deciding to wait until he went to bed. He was on his last packet and didn't feel like wasting one now.

They'd barely reached the door when it was opened abruptly and Kazuki's worried face looked out at them. He had bandages wrapped around his forehead, like Shido had, and before they could say anything, blurted, "How is she?"

"Not the warm welcome we were expecting," Ban said, brushing his way past. "Move, thread spinner, I'm getting wet here."

Kazuki stepped to one side as Ban entered the mansion. He turned back as Ginji followed him in and closed the door. They stood in the entrance hall for a moment, before Kazuki turned his questioning eyes on Ginji.

"Ginji?"

Ginji's hands clenched slightly by his sides. "Sorry Kazuki," he replied. "We don't know."

Kazuki looked at him in confusion. "But –"

"Is everyone in here?" Ban interrupted, jabbing his thumb towards the reception room.

Kazuki blinked at him and nodded. "Yeah."

"Well," Ban said, looking at Kazuki steadily, "get your ass in there so we don't have to repeat ourselves."

* * *

"According to the doctor she's suffered a head injury," Ban explained when they were all gathered in the reception room, repeating what the doctor had told him and Ginji. He'd lit a cigarette regardless of his thought earlier to try and save them. "The hospital will keep us posted when they've done tests, but it doesn't look good. She's on life support right now and hasn't come around. They're worried she might go into a coma."

A long silence followed as they all took in this information, different thoughts drifting through their minds.

"When will we know what's what?" Emishi asked, lifting his head from his crouched position on the floor, elbows resting on his knees. Shido stood beside him leant against the wall, one foot tucked behind the other, arms folded. The mouse was asleep on his shoulder.

Ban shrugged in reply. "You tell me."

Emishi looked at him, but said nothing in reply. Instead he lowered his head and rested his gaze on the floor.

Shido glanced down at him. Emishi was too soft hearted sometimes.

"It's my fault," Kazuki suddenly said. "After all I was there to make sure she didn't get hurt."

"Not necessarily," Ban replied, pausing before the cigarette reached his lips. "We didn't exactly label you as her bodyguard, thread spinner."

_Way to make him feel better_, Shido thought, throwing a glare at Ban.

"But she got hurt trying to help me," Kazuki protested, clenching his fists. "I should have listened to her in the first place."

"Perhaps," Ban said, idly taking a drag on the cigarette. "But I don't know what she told you, so I can't agree entirely with you there."

"You're such an ass," Shido growled at Ban.

Ban turned on him. "Funny, I don't recall asking for the monkey's opinion."

Shido began to move away from the wall, but Juubei put out a hand to his chest, stopping him in his tracks.

"It's no good blaming yourself, Kazuki," Juubei reasoned, turning his head toward him. "It could have been any of us."

"Yeah," Kazuki replied.

Ginji could hear from the tone in his voice that he wasn't convinced. "Tell me, Kazuki, what did Mrs. Kawayuki ask you to do?"

Kazuki looked at the floor and sighed. "Nothing … I wasn't supposed to do anything."

* * *

"I think it's slowing down," Ginji said, watching the rain fall outside the window.

"Good." Ban fell backwards onto the bed and rested his hands behind his head, looking upside down at Ginji. "We might actually get to look outside tomorrow."

"You think so?" Ginji asked, turning to face him.

"Why?" Ban quipped, fixing his gaze on Ginji's. "Don't you?"

"It would be nice," Ginji said. "To go outside, I mean. The last time I was …" He drifted off, leaving the sentence in the dark.

Ban nodded. The dream had dragged Ginji's ass outside last time. Not to mention his as well.

"It wasn't raining then," Ginji recalled.

Ban nodded a second time and closed his eyes. "I know, you told me." _Didn't stop _me_ getting soaked though!_

There was a soft thud as Ginji sat on the opposite edge of the bed and leant back on his hands. Ban opened his eyes as the mattress sank a little. A small chuckle escaped his throat and he asked, "What is it?"

Ginji looked at him and frowned. "I didn't say anything."

"You're going to."

Ginji sighed and flopped back on the bed, his head level with Ban's but facing the other direction. "I feel bad for Kazuki." He thought back to what Kazuki had told them. Given the situation he knew they all would have done the same thing, despite Mrs. Kawayuki's warning. "I think if Mrs. Kawayuki were to …" he left his phrase unfinished and added, "… I hope he doesn't take any blame."

"Of course he will," Ban said bluntly, and Ginji's shocked face turned on him. "But you know as well as I do he'll get over it. That thread spinner's stronger than he looks."

Ginji smiled. "Ban ol' buddy, you just complimented him, y' know?"

"It's not a compliment," Ban said stubbornly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Ahh, forget it. Pass me my cigarettes, will ya? I want a smoke."

Ginji stretched his arm out and grabbed the cigarettes from the bottom of the bed. He frowned at the lightness and started to shake the packet frantically.

"Hey!" Ban lifted his arm and whacked Ginji's head. "What are you doing?"

Ginji turned his head to Ban and pointed at the packet. "There's nothing in here, Ban. You must have smoked your last one downstairs."

Ban grabbed the packet from him. He held it for a moment before crushing it between his hand and throwing it across the room. "Great," he muttered sarcastically, bringing his arm up and resting it over his eyes.

"Heh," Ginji watched him and laughed.

It was a little too smug for Ban's liking, but he let it go, already wondering how he would get some more cigarettes now that Mr. Sakamuru was out of the house. He wouldn't consider asking Hajime to get them, but if it eased up raining a little, maybe he could go himself. But then, after this whole business with Mrs. Kawayuki, did he really want to leave the others alone? Ban removed his arm and looked at Ginji, who seemed quite happy staring at the ceiling. No, he decided, he didn't.

"Hey." Ban gave Ginji a poke.

Ginji shifted his gaze to him and smiled. "Yeah?"

"No running off tonight, got it?" Ban demanded, waving his finger at him. "I haven't got any smokes so I won't be chasing after your ass if there isn't any reward in the form of a cigarette for me for doing it." He knew it sounded petty, almost joke-like, but if Ginji had even half a brain he'd take it with some seriousness.

Ginji looked at him, blinked, and simply said, "Why would I run off?"

Ban groaned, feeling like he'd been slapped around the face. "Why do I bother." He lifted himself from the bed and threw back the covers. He pointed a finger at Ginji. "You. Bed. Now. And no dreams got it? My tolerance level will be high enough without a smoke tonight."

Ginji frowned at him, but it disappeared and was quickly replaced with a chuckle. Looking past Ban's bossy demeanor he could easily see the unspoken that passed between them. "Okay," he promised. "No dreams."

* * *

As promised, he didn't have any dreams that night, but Ginji still felt the feeling of unease drifting through his slumber, and despite the fact that the wind and rain had died down, the silence was almost suffocating. He woke up more times than he expected, regularly looking over at Ban to make sure his friend's sleep wasn't disturbed in any way. Often he would walk over to the window, looking outside, strangely hoping to see something, someone, but he never did. A slight disappointment washed over him each time, before he shook it off and went back to bed.

He never noticed Ban was awake each time he got out of bed and wondered over to the window. He kept his head facing the opposite way, listening to Ginji's faint breathing and the sounds of him approaching the bed and climbing back under the covers again. Shortly after Ginji's breathing would slow and Ban knew he'd gone back to sleep. Ban lifted himself up after, watching Ginji carefully before laying back down with a sigh.

Every time Ban woke up after Ginji, he had a convincing feeling neither of them – especially him – would be bright and breezy in the morning.

* * *

The first thing Ban noticed immediately from getting up was the light.

Sunlight – probably their first encounter of it since starting their assignment – shone through the bedroom window, dim but very noticeable.

Ban grabbed his glasses and placed them on his face, crept out of bed and looked outside. He was greeted by a foggy driveway and grayish sky, but the light shone through, its indication of the early morning sunrise, pushing its way through the misty atmosphere. Ban looked at the clock on the nightstand. It blinked 6.00 am at him.

He groaned and knocked his bed-head hair back against the window frame, gazing over the rim of his glasses at Ginji, calmly snoring away. He wanted a cigarette, something to hold in his hands, to pass time, but remembered he'd run out. His bare back slumped even lower against the frame.

_Damn_, he thought, closing his eyes.

Ginji suddenly snorted in his sleep, startling Ban upright.

Ban watched him and thought for a moment. It was morning now, and he doubted Ginji would go anywhere or do anything, so maybe he could take a drive and pick up some cigarettes. But then again, he didn't know of any stores around the area, if there even was one. He could ask Hajime, but doubted he'd be up yet.

Ban shook his head and grabbed his shirt, pulling it on but not bothering to fasten the buttons. He opened the bedroom door, took one last glance at Ginji, before leaving the room and making his way downstairs.

_Caffeine_, he decided, hoping it would flatten the craving he had for nicotine.

When he entered the dining hall, his gaze landed on the occupant sat at the table and he let out an annoyed groan.

"Good morning to you, too," Shido said, his cheek resting in his hand, a cup of coffee and a broken biscuit placed in front of him. He lifted the smallest of crumbs from the table and gave it to the mouse perched quietly on his shoulder.

Ban looked down at him disapprovingly. "What are _you_ doing here?"

Shido picked up another crumb and fed it to the mouse. He didn't bother to look Ban in the eye. "What does it look like?"

"Tch." Ban stomped his way into the kitchen and quickly made himself a cup of coffee, doubling up the amount of sugar he usually consumed in an attempt to soothe his nicotine craving, and walked back into the dining hall. He pulled out a chair opposite Shido, its legs scraping across the floor, and spun it around, sitting on it backwards.

As he took a sip of his coffee he noticed Shido staring at him. He held the cup away from his lips and snapped, "What?"

Shido smirked in reply. "Out of cigarettes?"

"What's it to you?" Ban huffed.

"Nothing," Shido replied. He broke another piece of biscuit away.

Ban lifted a finger and pointed at the mouse Shido was feeding. "Why do you keep carrying that thing around? Isn't it about time you set it free or something?"

"I did," Shido said, stroking the mouse gently. "He decided to stay with me."

"It's not like he's helped at all," Ban muttered, slurping his coffee.

Shido turned to him. "I wouldn't expect a brainless simpleton like you to understand."

Ban glared at him. "Don't start with me," he threatened.

"I didn't," Shido said, calmly taking a sip of his coffee.

Ban slammed his cup down in annoyance, the coffee spilling over the sides. He stood up and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Forget this," he said angrily. "I can't sit here with you."

Shido looked up at him. "No one asked you to."

Ban narrowed his eyes in annoyance and turned to face the entrance hall. He watched as the dim sunlight began to creep around the front of the mansion, peeping through the front windows.

"_The Raven's Eye currently resides in the dark of night_," Shido suddenly spoke, and Ban turned around. Shido steadied his gaze on him. "That's what you said, right? But you're planning on going outside in the day?"

Ban pushed his glasses further up his nose. "Are you trying to make a point?" he asked coolly.

"You've seen the woodlands surrounding this area," Shido said. "Do you really think you'll find anything?"

Ban shrugged. "Who knows? It's definitely not here … _that_ we can pretty much confirm."

Shido said nothing and watched him attentively.

"What is it now?" Ban barked, his patience seeping lower and lower.

"It won't be any safer for us out there you know," Shido said, crumbling a piece of the biscuit between his fingers. His eyes left Ban's and his attention moved back to the mouse scurrying down his arm, trying to get to the rest of the food.

Ban gritted his teeth, irritated. "I'm aware of that, you dick," he snapped, before turning his back on Shido and disappearing from the room.

Shido listened to Ban's angry footsteps stomping upstairs until they faded away. He looked down at the mouse sat peacefully on the table and said quietly, "I've got a bad feeling about this. What about you?"

The mouse was too busy eating to reply.

* * *

The gray sky transformed to the softest of blues when the sun had reached a higher peak above the mansion, the fog lifting ever so slightly. The clouds remained close, often hiding the shining ball of light, until they decided to drift on, letting the blinding sunlight through once again.

The trees surrounding the area were practically bare, including the cherry blossom that stood within the garden of the mansion, for they were far into the autumn season, soon approaching winter. Further beyond the garden the trees stretched into an amazing sea of woodlands, all bare but standing tall and proud together.

What lay beyond or within they didn't know, not being able to drive around the surrounding area, or explore it on foot due to the heavy rain fall. But now was there chance to find out.

Emishi stretched his arms out wide, almost smacking Shido across the face, and took in a deep breath. "Hmmm! Feels sooo good to finally get outdoors!"

"Watch what you're doing!" Shido growled at him, folding his arms, but the jacket Hajime had loaned him practically restricted his movement so he soon shoved his hands back into his pockets with a huff. "Why do I have to wear this?"

"Because it's _cold_, Shido," Emishi replied, waving a finger at him. He too had been given a similar coat to wear over his clothes, slightly longer than Shido's.

"It's not like it makes a difference," Ban injected, hands placed in his own coat pockets. He flashed a grin at Shido. "You still look like a dork no matter what you wear."

Shido glared at him. "Funny how you've got nothing better to say now that there's no cigarette hanging from between your teeth."

A low growl came from Ban's throat.

Ginji quickly stood between them, his hands held up in a 'peace' gesture, a sheepish grin on his face. "Eh heh. Come on, Ban. Aren't we going to look around?"

"Don't look so serious," Emishi said, glancing at Ban. "He didn't mean it."

"Yes I did," Shido said bluntly, turning his back on Ban. The mouse propped on his shoulder seemed to smugly stick his nose up also.

_I'm going to kill that thing_, Ban thought, staring daggers at the mouse. "It's been giving me funny looks all morning," he muttered, clenching his fist.

Shido peeked over his shoulder at him. "You got a problem?"

"Yeah, I've got a problem," Ban snapped, pointing at Shido. "That stupid fur ball you keep hauling around with you is getting on my nerves!"

Emishi gestured his hand to Ginji, who leaned closer to him. "Oy, what's up with him?" he whispered. "He's grumpier than usual this morning, don't you think?"

"Yeah," Ginji replied. "But it's mostly because he's got no cigarettes."

Ban suddenly loomed over them. "You two say something?"

"No, no, we didn't say anything!" Emishi laughed nervously. He reached up and rubbed the back of his neck. "Err, well, I think we should go this way, don't you, Shido?" he asked, pointing in the direction of the trees.

Shido shrugged. "Doesn't matter to me," he mumbled, "As long as I don't have to walk around with _him_."

"Hmph." Ban's eyes narrowed at him. "Fine by me, I get sick of looking at your monkey face anyway."

"You son of a –!"

"Oookay!" Ginji interrupted, stepping in front of a growling Shido. "Why don't we meet back here before it gets dark? That way we've got plenty of time to look around and Kazuki and Juubei should be back from the hospital by then."

"Roger that," Emishi said.

With that, he grabbed a protesting Shido by the arm, while Ginji reached out for Ban's wrist, and they both dragged them off in opposite directions before they could kill each other.

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen End**

**To Be Continued In Chapter Fourteen**

* * *

**Author's Note:** 2008 seems to be getting me off to an unexpectedly slow start, but hopefully I'll catch up. I did pause on this for a bit, but I've been watching some good old Getbackers episodes and soon got myself back on track. 

Sorry this chapter's just mostly talking and babble, haha. Also apologies for the lateness. Thank you all for your continuous encouragement, critique, input and kind words.

See you in the next chapter! I hope you all have a good Valentine's, too. My regards,

Aoi


	15. Chapter 14: Suspicions

Based on the story: Getbackers

**Based on the story:** _Getbackers_

**Written by:** aoi kodomo

**Full Summary:** The Getbackers finally get their hands on a mission they can really sink their teeth into. However, when the spiritual world starts to cross with reality, will the duo be able to tell the difference between what's real and what's not? Does the ability to communicate with the dead really exist?

**Author's Note:** All characters of _Getbackers_ are copyright to Rando Ayamine and Yuya Aoki. Any additional characters are copyright to me.

**Rating:** T

* * *

**Get Back the Sacred Jewel**

**Chapter Fourteen:** Suspicions

* * *

The wind picked up speed as it coursed through the trees, shifting the empty branches into an array of movement, a faint whistle following the breeze. Despite the light of day and the bare trees, an eerie darkness seemed to loom over the woodlands, the silence so creepy it sent shivers down the spine.

Emishi's shoulders slumped lower and lower as he and Shido wandered through the trees, walking in a straight line but never following a path, for there wasn't one. The remains of dead leaves and twigs snapped under their feet. With every noise Emishi's body twitched nervously, his head whipping in different directions.

"_Caaawww_!"

"Ahhhh!" Emishi screamed, practically throwing himself at Shido.

Shido's brow furrowed in annoyance. "Do you mind?" he said gruffly, as Emishi's hands clung tightly to his jacket.

"Did you hear that?" Emishi whispered, looking around anxiously.

"Yes, I did hear that," Shido said impatiently. "Next thing you'll hear is your arm breaking if you don't _let go of me_."

"But I heard a noise!" Emishi pouted, turning watery eyes on Shido.

"Uh," Shido tilted his head away from Emishi's puppy-dog stare. "It was a crow, you idiot. Can't you tell a sound that comes from an animal?"

"It's spooky in here enough," Emishi whined. "Can't you tell it to be quiet or something?"

"No," Shido said blankly, trying to shake Emishi's hands off. "Now let go."

Emishi sighed, releasing his grip on Shido's arm. "You can be so cranky, Shido," he muttered. "And I thought this assignment was bringing us closer."

_Closer to me killing you_, Shido thought, clenching his fist. He let out a sigh, silently sending a message for the crow to carry on searching elsewhere, and continued to walk on, a pouting Emishi following behind.

The silence grew deeper the further they wandered forward, the odd sound coming from the wind or the crows that lurked through the trees, scaring Emishi but providing Shido with any information they could. The jewel couldn't be seen, despite their eye for shiny things, but the crows continued to search for it. The animals that stayed on the ground were few, which surprised Shido, but given the season, and the spooky atmosphere he knew all too well the animals would pick up on, he worked with what he had. The creatures were more than willing to help him in any way they could.

As they walked, the trees doubled in size as well as in number, the branches producing more and more, the roots growing thicker, but still they continued forward. The ground started to flatten out again as time passed.

Emishi yawned, his body slumping forward. "Man, how long have we been walking for?" he muttered. "My legs are starting to ache. Can't we at least change direction? We can't get lost if your animals are around."

"Wait a little longer," Shido said. "We need to see how far these woods stretch out. If nothing changes then we can go a different way."

"I'm starting to get hungry," Emishi moaned.

Shido sighed. "Quit sulking," he said. "You ate tons at breakfast. It's only noon now. Just keep your eyes peeled, idiot. Otherwise you'll end up missing something."

Emishi suddenly stopped in his tracks and stared straight ahead. Shido turned to him as he lifted a finger and pointed forward. "You mean like that?"

Shido turned back to look in the direction he was pointing.

An opening through the trees stared back at them, revealing a large, hardly unnoticeable, lake. It sat smack in the middle of the opening, and as they stepped forward they could see how big it really was. It stretched far across to the other side and spread out to either side of them. The grassy verge was covered in small rocks and deadened leaves, thin vines sticking out of the water to cling onto the edge like tiny fingers. The water looked murky, dirtied by the heavy rain, and quite deep. Pass the lake ahead of them the trees carried on as before. The fog had settled between the branches but seemed to lie just above the water, almost kissing the surface.

"Whoa," Emishi murmured. "It's like it's just been … dropped there or something. It's big."

"Yeah." Shido couldn't agree with that statement more. It looked about 20 or 30 meters going across and at least 60 meters in length. The depth he wasn't sure of. He gave Emishi a nudge and said, "C'mon, we'll just have to walk around it."

Emishi sighed. "The trees seem to carry on as normal, so can't we just walk that way?" He pointed to the right.

"No," Shido replied. "Something else could be ahead. We can walk that way coming back."

They began to walk around the water, staying a good distance away from the edge.

Emishi kicked at the rocks as he followed Shido, his stomach grumbling in protest at not having lunch. Shido must have heard it but said nothing in reply, and Emishi felt his shoulders slump at the thought of missing a meal. It didn't take him long to realize that he wanted to go back, suddenly uncomfortable walking within the opening, where anyone could see them. Without knowing at first he kept flicking his head from side to side, eyes peeled for the slightest movement while Shido carried on walking straight ahead.

_You're getting paranoid_, Emishi told himself, shaking his head. He kicked one of the rocks on the ground. The gray stone rolled forward, stopped, and then rolled back at him.

Emishi halted in his tracks, eyes widening. Shido walked on, unaware he had stopped.

A faint whistle, carried by the wind, drifted past Emishi's head, sending shivers down his spine. He waited; ears pricked, and could almost hear a whisper hovering through the opening. A cold breeze tickled his skin, creeping down his arms and legs like slithering fingers.

Shido turned around, realizing he could no longer hear Emishi's footsteps. He saw Emishi standing meters away and asked impatiently, "What are you doing?"

Emishi looked up at Shido, a confused look passing over his face. "I –"

Before he could say anything the cold substance that circled him grew tighter, gripping onto his arms and legs like a vice. Emishi looked down and saw the faint outline of fingers clinging to his legs, a body nowhere in sight. He tugged at his arms, trying to break free, only to have them tugged even harder.

The invisible hands suddenly pulled his legs out from under him. Emishi hit the ground hard, barely having time to react before his body was dragged across the muddy surface. He let out a shout, his fingers clawing at the soil, but the grasp on his arms tightened, lifting them up so he was unable to grab onto anything.

"Emishi!" Shido ran across the opening as his friend was dragged toward the lake, helpless to stop himself. He was barely a meter from him when something seized his leg, tripping him up. Shido stumbled forward, reaching out his hand. He grabbed Emishi's wrist tightly before he fell to the ground.

His sigh of relief was short-lived as he was abruptly pulled forward, the force holding Emishi so strong it started to drag him across the ground also, his torso grazing across the stones. He reached out his other hand and grabbed Emishi's arm, gritting his teeth with effort. The pain in his shoulder started to return as he struggled to keep his friend still.

"Ugh!" Shido tried to get to his knees, but the earth was too soft for him to get a firm grip while trying to hold onto his friend too. He managed to shuffle sideways but was still being dragged across the ground. He felt something warm drip from his shoulder and realized his wound had reopened.

"S-Shido!" Emishi stretched out his fingers and gripped onto Shido's sleeve, the force clinging to his arms loosening as he struggled. He was inches from the water's edge now. "My legs! I can't move my legs!"

"Just hold on!" Shido snapped as Emishi's legs slid over the grassy verge and into the water. "You're not going anywhere!"

As he said this, a faint sound of laughter drifted across the lake.

Shido glared straight ahead, at nothing in particular. "What's so funny?!" he demanded, pulling at Emishi's arms. "This is one guy you're not getting!" He released one of Emishi's arms and brought his finger and thumb to his lips, blowing on them hard.

A loud whistle echoed over the opening.

The frantic fluttering of wings reverberated across the sky, revealing tiny black spots rocketing through the air. The crows soared down towards the lake, their beaks suddenly gripping onto Shido and Emishi's clothes, whatever they could grab. The whole of Emishi's lower body was submerged in water now, but slowly he was pulled out as the birds tugged at his jacket.

Shido managed to struggle into a sitting position as the birds helped Emishi out of the water. He could feel the force resisting as he pulled Emishi toward him.

"Nnh," Emishi tightened his grip on Shido's arm, his knees slipping on the verge as he was finally released from the water. The grip on his leg started to loosen.

A trickle of sweat dripped down Shido's cheek. He gave a huff and barked, "Let go!" to the fingers clinging on Emishi's ankles, giving his friend's arm one last tug.

"Ah!" Emishi let out a shout and stumbled forward as the hold on his leg suddenly disappeared. He fell into Shido, knocking him backwards, and they landed in a tangled heap inches away from the muddy verge.

For a moment they lay there, desperately trying to gather their breath.

The crows seemed to sense the danger was over and released their grip on both of them, fleeing into the trees, watching cautiously from the branches.

"W-well," Emishi huffed. "I d-didn't … enjoy that … one bit." He waited a moment before lifting his head. He blinked and suddenly grinned down at Shido. "Oh, look. Told you this assignment was bringing us closer. It's fate."

Shido glared at him. "Get off me, you idiot," he snapped, shoving him to one side. "Now's not the time for your jokes."

"Yeah, yeah. You're right." Emishi let out a chuckle, leaning back on his hands. He said nothing for a moment, then ran his fingers over his head, tugging free the cloth his used to tie his hair up with, and held it in front of Shido without saying a word.

Shido looked at the material but didn't take it. "What's that for?" he asked.

Emishi turned to him and that childish grin appeared back on his face. "Oh, nothing," he said, gesturing for him to take it.

"Nothing, huh?" Shido smiled, taking the cloth from Emishi. He got to his feet and looked cautiously around the lake, but apart from the birds, they were alone, no one else in sight. "Come on," he said to Emishi, "we better head this way." He pointed to the right, leading away from the lake. "It's best that we don't stay here."

Emishi stood up and followed his gaze. "I wanted to go that way to begin with," he moaned.

* * *

It was well into noon when Ban realized he couldn't _quite_ mentally focus without having a cigarette resting between his fingers.

Ginji had suddenly found a new burst of energy (which Ban expected to be the 6 cartons of orange juice he had consumed that morning) and continued to shoot off in all different directions, searching every animal-made hole in the ground, around the trees, patting every misshaped surface on the ground with his foot just in case something had been buried. Sometimes, if the trees were thick and strong enough, he would climb so far up to get a view of where they were. Each time Ginji called back he stated he could see the mansion, getting farther and farther away. Ban, with his nicotine level stooping dangerously low, was getting more and more annoyed after every passing step.

Ban yanked a twig from one of lower branches, snapping it in half. As he watched Ginji jog steadily forward, he couldn't help feel slightly relieved that coming outside had seemed to take Ginji's mind off their current problems. Ban knew he wouldn't cast Mrs. Kawayuki to one side of his brain completely – in fact he was probably thinking about her now – but his focus had turned entirely to their search of finding the jewel. But Ban knew it all came down to one unspoken conclusion.

Neither of them wanted to continue this mission any longer. It had to be finished, and finished quickly.

The dead leaves crunched beneath their feet as they marched on forward. Ban continued to pull twigs from the sagging branches, breaking them between his fingers. He kept his mind on full alert, but the little niggling in his brain that told him that he wanted nicotine, that he'd missed his morning dosage, wouldn't shut up.

A low, annoyed growl escaped his throat. _This is ridiculous_, he told himself.

"Ban?"

Ginji's voice broke him away from his thoughts and he looked up, mentally scolding himself for letting his frustration seep through, even if it was just a little.

Ban sighed and shoved his hands deep into his pockets, hoping it would dampen the urge to hold a cigarette between his fingers. "What is it, Ginji?" he asked.

Ginji jumped from the tree he had just climbed, landing promptly on his feet, facing Ban. "Tell me," he said, a slight uncertainty creeping into his voice. "Do you know about the children ... why they were here before?"

Ban pushed his glasses further up his nose, pausing with his fingers on the frames as he turned to look at Ginji. _So much for keeping his mind off things_. "What makes you ask that now?" he asked, his words muffled by his hand.

The fact that Ban added 'now' to his query indicated to Ginji that Ban did know more about the children than he did. Whether Ban thought the information was irrelevant could well have been the reason he hadn't told Ginji about it. But Ginji also didn't know if Ban had told the others anything regarding the children either.

"Ban." Ginji's voice came out almost forcefully. He'd thought it through all morning and he just _knew_ he was kept in the dark about something.

Ban removed his hand from his face and slid it back into his pocket. The way he saw it, what little information he knew about the children was completely worthless in helping them with their mission. But it was this worthless piece of information he was reluctant to give to Ginji, which, he was sure of, would push him slighter further toward the children and even result in him sympathizing with them.

Ban sighed. _It would make Ginji a walking target_. He knew he would be too soft hearted to fight back if they ever got their hands on him.

"Ban," Ginji repeated.

Ban chuckled, closing his eyes for a moment. He opened them again as he walked forward, stopping directly in front of Ginji. "Why so serious, Ginji?" he asked. "It's not like you."

"Yeah, I know," Ginji replied.

Ginji's eyes locked directly on Ban's. Ban could almost feel them burning into him, as though they whispered, _Tell me_.

_Damn. He's got me,_ Ban thought, slightly annoyed. Ginji acted so stubbornly sometimes, and yet Ban could never say no to his stubbornness. He'd have to tell him.

Ban leaned against one of the bare trees, hands stuffed in his pockets, one foot resting against the bark. "Listen to me carefully, Ginji," he warned, not wanting to repeat himself.

Ginji stepped closer to him, his brain on full alert like Ban's had been earlier, before the thoughts of nicotine had taken over.

Ban's mouth was barely open before the faint sounds of rustling hit his ears. He moved away from the tree, casting his gaze to the left side of the woods, the words he was about to tell Ginji vanishing completely from his mind, to be replaced by thoughts of caution. Ginji had heard it too, and his shoulders stiffened beneath his jacket.

The rustling got louder, but it wasn't until they heard the voices did their minds relax, for they instantly recognized (with help from the shouting), whom the voices belonged to.

"I got worried there," Ginji said, relieved.

"Hmm." A wave of relief washed over Ban also, but not for the same reason. He was almost thankful for the interruption.

Ginji turned back to him. "Ban -"

"OWW!" Ginji's words faded away under the sudden shout.

They both turned to the sound of the voice, before looking at each other and shaking their heads. "Emishi," they both said.

"Watch where you're going!" Shido's voice scolded.

_Wow_, Ban thought. _He sounds more pissed off than usual_.

"It wasn't me!" Emishi's voice whined back. "He just bit me!"

"You almost stepped on him, you idiot!" Shido bellowed back. As he shouted at Emishi, their bodies emerged between two of the trees, hidden slightly by the afternoon fog. They walked towards Ban and Ginji, oblivious they were there.

"I can't believe you're taking that rat's side over mine, Shido," Emishi said in disbelief.

"He's a _mouse_!" Shido snapped, his forehead twitching in annoyance. The mouse sat innocently on his shoulder, having come back after their first obstacle.

"What's the difference?" Emishi asked.

_He's as thick as ever_, Ban thought.

"Guys!" Ginji called. They looked up as he beckoned them over.

"Hey," Emishi greeted, all too cheerfully. "Didn't expect to run into you guys so soon. I bet you've been walking around in circles, haven't you?"

"No," Ginji replied. "The mansion's over there." He pointed straight ahead. "We've been going in a straight line since the beginning."

The cheerful grin disappeared from Emishi's face. He turned to Shido. "I thought someone who could mimic animals would have some sense of direction," he said. "Honestly, Shido. You disappoint me sometimes."

Shido growled in reply, and turned his back on Emishi.

Ban smirked. "What's wrong, monkey boy? Can't think of a comeback?" He reached out a hand when Shido didn't reply, but paused before it could touch his shoulder. A red stain covered the back of Shido's jacket, near the top, and Ban instantly knew what it was, but was curious to know as to how Shido had managed to reopen his wound again.

Shido caught his gaze and snapped, "What?"

Ban put his hand back into his pocket. "Nothing."

"Hey, Emishi," Ginji suddenly piped up, pointing at his clothes. "Why are you all wet?"

Ban looked also. He glanced at Shido and noticed his clothes were covered in dirt.

Emishi chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, we had a little mishap earlier. Involving some little mishaps, actually."

"You saw the children?" Ginji asked, surprised.

"Not exactly, no," Emishi replied. "They saw us though, I think. Right, Shido?"

Shido said nothing, his head bowing slightly in a nod.

Ban couldn't guess why he was acting so pissed off. Emishi probably didn't help with his overpowering cheerfulness, but he couldn't be the entire reason why Shido was giving him the cold shoulder. He turned to the others and said, "Let's go back. Then you can tell us what happened. We'll come back later." As Ban started to walk ahead, his shoulder brushed Shido's and he leaned closer to him and whispered, "We need to talk too, monkey boy."

As they walked back, the silence settling among them, Ginji turned to Emishi and asked, "Hey, where's your head band, Emishi? Did you lose it?"

"Nah," Emishi grinned. "I just look more handsome with my hair down."

Ban frowned. From the corner of his eye he saw Shido reach up and touch his shoulder. Beneath the jacket Ban could see the fabric poking out the collar, still light around the edges, but deeply stained with the color of blood.

* * *

Back in the warm surrounding comforts of the mansion, the darkness could be seen hovering over the building from the inside, swallowing the day's light, leaving only the smallest strip of sunlight peeking behind the trees, before that too gradually disappeared.

Shido watched in silence as the blackness emerged, giving him a sense of unease, for he felt that something in the darkness lurked, waiting. He shrugged the feeling off and turned away from the bedroom window, his heart giving off a sudden _tha-thump_ when he came face to face with Ban.

He jumped back, his hand coming up to rest on his chest. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

"Yo", Ban deadpanned.

"Do you get a kick out of scaring people?" Shido snapped, moving away from the window, turning his back on the darkness.

"So you're scared?"

Shido glared. He wanted to wipe the stupid smirk off Ban's face. "I didn't say that."

"No?" Ban quipped, moving past Shido to stand near the window.

"Where're Ginji and Emishi?" Shido asked.

"Downstairs," Ban replied. "Right now they're eating their forth helping of dinner."

"Isn't anyone with them?"

"Hajime's the only other person here," Ban said, his eyes glancing casually to look at Shido. "Why? Are you worried?"

"No."

"You're so convincing," Ban drawled, leaning against the window frame.

For a while neither said anything. Eventually Shido turned to Ban and said, "You haven't told Ginji, have you? You haven't told him anything."

Ban shoved his hands into his pockets. "What makes you think that?"

"My hearing is a damn sight better than yours," Shido said. "I heard you in the woods before you heard me."

"Heh." Ban lifted his glasses slightly as he looked over the frames at Shido, the dim light from the bedroom casting an eerie glow on the lenses. "Well, well. Listening in on other people's conversations," he mused. "That super sonic hearing of yours must come in handy."

"Don't give me that bullshit," Shido shot back, eyes narrowed. "Nothing good will come of keeping Ginji in the dark like this. You should tell him everything Paul told you, everything you told _us_."

"I don't think that's relevant," Ban said.

"Why? What the hell can Ginji do with pointless information like that?"

"Hmm." Ban pretended to ponder over this question, his chin resting casually between his thumb and finger. "I wonder. What could he do?"

As Ban locked his gaze onto him, Shido saw the answer as clear as day in Ban's eyes, and it suddenly dawned on him that Ban had a much better read on Ginji then he did. It was as though that Jagan of his not only played with the mind, but read them as well. Shido could almost _feel_ Ban reading his own mind now.

"You know, monkey boy," Ban said quietly. "You can always go back to Modoka. Frankly an entire week of seeing your face is enough for me."

Shido's head snapped up at him. "So you want to do this assignment by yourself?"

Ban said nothing in reply.

Shido's hands tightened by his sides. "I'm not going anywhere," he said firmly, his mouth curving almost into a sneer. "Don't think your pride is the only ones in tact. We both know your mind keeps wandering from this assignment. And why is that?"

Ban raised an eyebrow at him.

Shido's eyes practically shone from the moon outside. "You can't watch him forever," he said. "If you want to finish this assignment so badly, go out on your own. You've got your own hunches, right? So go. Then you won't have to tell him anything."

Ban closed his eyes for a moment, considering what Shido was saying. He could, of course, go out on his own. But then what …? _Ginji wouldn't be happy about it_.

He opened his eyes, grinning at Shido.

Shido waited for the sarcastic comeback.

"Do all monkeys talk this much?"

Shido sighed. There it was. It was pointless trying to have a conversation with him.

* * *

"What were you and Shido talking about?" Ginji asked as he got ready for bed that evening. "You didn't come downstairs for ages. I ended up eating your second helping of dinner!"

"Nothing in particular," Ban replied, idly throwing his shirt on the floor. "I can barely understand that annoying bastard through all the squeaks and chimp noises."

"Ban," Ginji said.

Ban glanced at him over the rims of his glasses. "It was nothing, Ginji," he said as sincerely as he could. "I was just making sure that monkey boy still has his head in the game."

Ban thanked his lucky stars that seemed to be reason enough for Ginji.

"Oh, okay." Ginji sat on the bed and connected his hands behind his neck, leaning against the headboard.

Ban breathed out slowly and reached for his cigarettes on the nightstand, then suddenly remembered he had no cigarettes whatsoever and was grabbing thin air.

Ginji glanced at him as Ban's hand hit the surface of the nightstand. "Ban, have you run out of cigarettes completely?"

"Damn," Ban muttered.

Ginji laughed. "I thought so."

Ban sighed and sat on the edge of the bed. It creaked under his weight, echoing softy off the bedroom walls against the eerie silence of the night. The follow morning would be 24 hours he'd gone without a cigarette. He was sure he was being tortured.

"Do you think Kazuki and Juubei are okay at the hospital?" Ginji suddenly asked, breaking the silence.

Ban shrugged, his back facing Ginji. "Why wouldn't they? Thread spinner seemed happy to stay there when the doctor suggested it, and of course his companion always stays with him. If Mrs. Kawayuki hasn't got any living relatives it's the least we can do for her, until we find out what's what anyway."

"You're worried about her too, aren't you Ban?" Ginji asked, though it was more a statement than a question.

Ban could almost feel Ginji's eyes burning into his back. He lifted his hand, waving the fact away. "Now's not the time to be worrying about that," he said. "Now go to sleep, will ya. We've got a lot of ground to cover tomorrow."

"Okay."

"And Ginji," Ban added, his back still to him. "Get some proper sleep tonight, okay?"

Ginji blinked at him. "What do you mean?"

"Just … sleep. I don't want to hear a sound from you unless it's breathing or snoring."

It dawned on Ginji what Ban meant. He smiled and nodded, despite the fact that Ban wasn't even facing his way.

"Sure Ban."

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen End**

**To Be Continued In Chapter Fifteen**

* * *

**Author's Note:** Where have I been?! … Where have I been … oh well, it's not important. Sorry, guys.

This chapter totally _sucks_. Yes, it sucks. I'm sorry. I had different plans for it but it just went absolutely haywire. So it's more of a filler chapter, then I'm back on track from the next chapter (which, by the way, will be posted in a few days to make up for lost time, also expect weekly updates after that to make up for more lost time).

I've been stuck in a rut lately, so I've been writing one shots and such to try and get me out of it. Been very busy with other things, too. Busy, busy, busy. And no, it's not my excuse, it's the truth, and again I apologize for abandoning this for a long time. And another no, I am _not_ leaving this story unfinished. I refuse to. I think some of my readers have abandoned me by now, haha.

So to those that are annoyed with my very late updates, I'm really, really, really sorry (again). And to those that have recently reviewed / alerted / faved this story, thank you, thank you, thank you. Oh, the next chapter may / may not have a slight higher rating on it, but I'll let you know in due course (also a note will be at the beginning of the chapter itself).

Thank you for your time. See you in a few days.

Aoi


	16. Chapter 15: No Escape

Based on the story: Getbackers

**Based on the story:** _Getbackers_

**Written by:** aoi kodomo

**Full Summary:** The Getbackers finally get their hands on a mission they can really sink their teeth into. However, when the spiritual world starts to cross with reality, will the duo be able to tell the difference between what's real and what's not? Does the ability to communicate with the dead really exist?

**Author's Note:** All characters of _Getbackers_ are copyright to Rando Ayamine and Yuya Aoki. Any additional characters are copyright to me.

**Rating:** T

* * *

**Get Back the Sacred Jewel**

**Chapter Fifteen:** No Escape

* * *

_**Please note that this chapter may contain content that may not be suitable for some readers, or may cause offense. You have been warned.**_

* * *

"_It's … so cold."_

_Ginji's eyes drifted open as a sudden blast of cold air brushed his skin. He shivered, reaching down to clutch the covers, but grabbed nothing but thin air. Looking down he saw that there were no covers on the bed at all._

_He sighed. _There's never anything there_, he thought, but then paused as the sentence crossed his mind._

_Never anything there? But there was before, wasn't there?_

_Ginji sat up with a frown. He felt small, strange._

_He turned his head to look around the cold, damp room._

_The window was completely smashed - but he knew that had been like that for some time now - the shattered pieces of glass lying beneath the old, rickety pane. He still had the cut on his foot where he'd accidentally stepped on a piece yesterday. Luckily he'd managed to get the glass out._

_The wall opposite was dirty and wet, with marks zigzagging down the surface where the water was leaking through from above. Normally the water would gather in a huge puddle near the window leading to the far wall, but it wasn't raining tonight, so it was just dribbles of excess water from before._

_As he looked around the dark room, Ginji couldn't help but feel that there was something missing._

_He turned to look beside him, but an empty piece of the dusty wooden bed looked back. He felt as though something should have been there, but didn't know what._

_He reached out a hand - perplexed at how tiny his fingers seemed – and let it hover over the empty space. He looked long and hard at the same spot, and could almost see - even feel - a presence there. As he began to lower his hand he caught the sound of something there, and a feeling of comfort began to wash over him._

_It was someone's breathing._

_The sound echoed in his ears and his heart began to thump in his chest, for he had not heard something so calming in so long._

_After a moment the sound began to get louder, and he could almost make out the presence laying over the empty space next to him. He lowered his hand once more, and his palm came into contact with a soft cheek._

_He was touching a person. He didn't know who it was, but was happy not to be in this lonely room all by himself._

_He leaned closer but could still not make out the person beside him. He hesitated a second before letting his hand touch the person's hair. It felt odd. Clean. Something his would never be. He let his hand glide down the surface of the hair, barely touching it, scared that if he applied too much pressure, the presence would vanish and leave him._

_As his fingers began to entwine in the soft strands, a sudden thump came from outside the room, startling him, and he quickly pulled his hand away, looking up at the door._

_Another thump followed._

_Ginji jumped in fright and looked back down at the bed._

_The presence had gone._

_The thumps began to get louder, and he realized with a jolt that it was the sound of an heavy fist on wood, banging on the door, each one louder than the previous. The door began to rattle as it was hit over and over again._

_Ginji felt his heart begin to quicken, the beats thumping loudly in his ears. He began to shuffle himself as close to the edge of the bed as he could, using what little room he hand, bringing his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around bare legs. With every bang his heart jumped more and more._

_Th-thmp … th-thmp … th-thmp ..._

Come back_, he pleaded. _Please come back.

_Th-thmp … th-thmp … th-thmp …_

_The banging suddenly stopped._

_He looked up, eyes wide with fear, his heart almost frozen in place._

_Th-thmp …_

_With one, loud thump, the door crashed open._

_Th-thmp .._

_A large shadow stood in the doorway, glaring down at him._

_He shuffled back further, the burning sense of hatred coming from the shadow almost suffocating him. The shadow almost darkened the whole room, so much bigger than he was. Ginji opened his mouth to speak, but before he'd even let out a squeak, the shadow's voice dominated over his small one._

"_You little shit," the shadow snarled. "How dare you not open up when I first tell you to?"_

_Ginji's voice was barely audible as he replied. "But -"_

_Suddenly the shadow was standing directly above him. A large, grubby hand came up and struck him across the face so hard the sound echoed off the walls. As the force threw him back, the shadow grabbed a fistful of his hair, yanking him upright, bringing his face so close Ginji could almost taste his foul breath._

"_Who said you could talk back to me?" the shadow spat. He brought another filthy hand up and grabbed Ginji's chin tightly between his fingers._

"_Please -," Ginji begged._

_The shadow laughed. It had no feeling at all._

"_Naughty brats like you need to be taught a lesson," the shadow breathed gruffly in Ginji's ear._

_Ginji's eyes widened as he spoke. His entire body began to shake uncontrollably._

"_Hmph."_

_Ginji clamped his eyes tightly shut as the shadow smirked satisfactorily in his ear. _If I keep my eyes closed it'll all be over_, he told himself. He knew what was about to happen and knew that the less he protested, the quicker it would be._

"_Brats like you need to be punished," the shadow repeated, pulling Ginji's hair as he shoved him back against the bed. "You better not make a sound," he added, yanking Ginji's hair forcefully in warning._

_As the tears began to run down Ginji's face, he clamped his hands over his mouth and kept his eyes closed, trying to remember the presence that had brought him even the slightest slither of hope, as he waited for his nightmare to end._

* * *

Ban's defensive reflexes kicked in as soon as he felt something touch his face.

His eyes shot open, but by the time he'd gathered his senses the feeling had gone. There was nothing there.

He sat up in bed, running a weary hand over his face, and peered over at Ginji. He leaned over and whispered, "Ginji."

Ginji promptly snorted at him in reply.

Ban sighed and sat back. _It wasn't him then_.

He looked about the room to see that the window was shut and the doors still closed. He sat for a moment before climbing out of bed and peering into the bathroom. A cold and empty room stared back at him. He walked to the window and moved the curtain to one side. Apart from the garden and main gates nothing else but darkness caught his eye.

As he let the curtain drop back, Ginji suddenly cried out in his sleep. It wasn't loud enough to startle him, but he looked up, concerned.

He watched Ginji cautiously and waited, but his friend made no other sound.

Ban shoved his hands into his pockets, shivering as the cold air brushed his bare torso. He opted to get back into bed but instead moved to where Ginji was sleeping and leaned against the wall, never taking his eyes off him.

He felt unnerved, and wanted to be awake in case something happened, almost expecting something to.

* * *

_Ginji cried out as he was shoved back against the wall._

_The shadow's eyes glinted as he loomed over him._

_Ginji looked up at him, not comprehending while he felt so small. He _was _small, but why did he feel that something wasn't right? Was he always like this?_

"_I told you not to make a sound, you brat," the shadow hissed._

I'm not a brat, _Ginji wanted to protest, but his heart pounded in fear so badly he felt as if any minute it would jump up his throat. His horrific ordeal was over, but he knew his nightmare had not ended. The figure standing above him did not intend to leave as quickly as he wished._

_In the darkness Ginji couldn't see the shadow's face, and when he reached down and grabbed Ginji's arm tightly, his features still were not revealed to him. It was as though Ginji had a veil over his eyes._

_The shadow pulled Ginji to his feet roughly._

_Ginji's legs shook so violently he could barely stand up._

"_Get up!" the shadow barked._

_Ginji placed his feet firmly on the floor and stood up, still shaking uncontrollably. The wooden floor was cold beneath his feet, making his toes feel like ice. He had nothing on except a raggedy piece of cloth that hung over his neck and torso. His arms and legs were bare._

_The shadow grinned down at him. Stood next to him Ginji only came up to his waist. "Why are you shaking?" he asked, his voice suddenly calm. "I'm taking you somewhere good."_

_Ginji said nothing as the shadow dragged him out of the room and along a dark corridor._

_Many doors stared back at them but every one was closed. Not a sound came from any of them and Ginji felt like the only person alive, apart from the shadow that continued to drag him along. They reached a set of stairs and soon Ginji was being pulled down them, his feet barely having time to touch the floor._

_The shadow pulled him along another corridor before coming to a stop in front of another closed door. Behind this one Ginji could hear many loud voices._

"_Get in," the shadow ordered, opening the door and shoving Ginji inside._

_The shadow followed him in and slammed the door shut._

_Ginji looked around the room, a frightened gasp lodged in his throat. His eyes widened in fear as an uncountable number of shadows stared back at him. He couldn't see their faces, but their eyes seemed to bore into his own, almost glowing as they locked onto him._

"_What's this?" one of the shadows suddenly spoke. "A little lost child?"_

"_Why aren't you in your room, boy?" another shadow demanded._

"_I found him wandering the corridors," the shadow behind Ginji said._

_Ginji looked up at him in shock. The shadow smirked back._

"_I see." One of the shadows stood up from his chair and walked up to Ginji. He leant down to his level and said, "What were you doing in the corridors?"_

I wasn't in the corridors_, Ginji wanted to say, but the words wouldn't come to him. He could feel his body starting to shake again._

_The shadow in front of him smiled. It was the cruelest smile Ginji had ever seen. "What's wrong, boy? Won't you speak to me?"_

_Ginji said nothing, his breath coming out in short gasps._

_The shadow suddenly growled and reached out, grabbing Ginji by the back of his neck and squeezing hard. "I asked you a question, boy!" he spat. "Why are you out of your room at night?!"_

_When Ginji didn't reply the shadow threw him forcefully to the side. Ginji let out a cry of pain as his back hit the wall._

"_There is a punishment for leaving your room," the shadow said, grabbing Ginji by his arm. "I am sure you are aware of this."_

No! _Ginji wanted to scream. Instead he let himself get dragged further into the room._

_The shadow shoved him forward, into the arms of another, who grabbed Ginji by the waist and clung onto him tightly. Ginji struggled to break free but the shadow suddenly struck him across his head. A searing pain flashed across Ginji's eyes and he felt himself go limp in the shadow's arms._

"_Hold him still," the shadow in front of him growled. "He needs to be taught a lesson."_

No! _Ginji pleaded. _No! No!

_The sound of the shadow's hand echoed around the room as he backhanded Ginji across the face. Ginji's cheeks burned like fire as he was struck again and again._

_The continuous beating seemed to go on forever, until Ginji almost passed out with pain, then it suddenly stopped and the shadow ceased movement._

"_Don't pass out on us," the shadow barked, slapping Ginji across the face one more time. "I haven't let the others have their way with you yet."_

_Ginji looked up through dazed vision. _Please, _he thought frantically. _No more.

_The shadow holding him laughed. "May I, sir?"_

"_Go ahead," Ginji heard the other say. "I've had my fun."_

No!_ Ginji wanted to scream as the beating started again. The waves of pain washed over him so strongly he felt sick._

"_Lift his head up!"_

No … _Ginji begged, his heart thudding against his ribcage like it was trying to escape. _Please … stop it …

"_This is for your own good, kid."_

No! I don't want this!

"_Keep going. He's not passed out completely yet. He'll still feel it."_

No! Stop it!

"_Hey, it's my turn!"_

Stop it!

"_You've had your turn."_

Stop it!

"_Save some for us!"_

STOP IT!!

* * *

_Stop it …_

Ban frowned and looked up, his mind still on full alert.

Ginji's sleeping face looked back at him, a slight crease on his forehead as he snoozed, but otherwise appearing fine.

Ban sighed. _Am I being too paranoid watching him like this?_

He knew he could go back to sleep, but instead remained sat against the wall, elbows resting on his knees, his eyes locked on Ginji's face. After a moment he reached over and ruffled Ginji's hair. Ginji let out a quiet breath in return.

_He's fine_, Ban's mind reassured him. _Go to sleep._

_In a minute,_ Ban thought.

Ginji was normally a deep sleeper, but Ban felt uneasy watching him now.

_Something's not right._

* * *

"_You're not dead, so get back to your room, kid!"_

_The door slammed shut behind him as Ginji was shoved out into the corridor. The voices on the other side became muffled and distance._

_Ginji coughed and collapsed on the floor, his blood staining the wooden surface beneath him._

_He laid still, his world turning to black, tears of agony running down his bruised face, every one of them stinging his swollen cheeks, until the soft pitter-patter of footsteps brought him to his senses._

"_Hey, over here," a voice whispered, and he used every ounce of energy he had left to look up._

_A small boy stood at the bottom of the staircase, looking anxiously at Ginji, his tiny hands gripping onto the stair rail._

"_Come over here," the boy whispered, gesturing to Ginji._

_Ginji tried to get up, but the waves of agony that swept through his body kept him down. He remained still, his bloodied cheek pressed against the floor, looking up at the boy who continued to gesture to him._

"_Please …" Ginji rasped, and the boy stopped gesturing._

"_Um …" The boy looked at the door behind Ginji, where the muffled voices continued to speak, before returning his gaze to where Ginji lay. He waited a moment before finally letting go of the stair rail. His small feet treaded softly across the floor, barely making a sound, before he came to a stop in front of Ginji, looking down at him through his dark fringe of hair._

_They stared at each other for a moment. Then the boy reached down and took a hold of Ginji's elbow, urging him up._

"_Come on," the boy whispered urgently. "Get up." He lifted Ginji's arm and placed it around his neck, supporting Ginji's weight with his own._

_Ginji leaned against the boy as he was lead away from the room of shadows and guided toward the staircase. The boy kept one hand around Ginji's waist and the other on the railing as he helped Ginji climb the stairs one by one. He said nothing until they had reached the top._

"_Let's go to my room," he said, pointing left. "They won't check on you now."_

_Ginji didn't object, and as the other boy lead him down the corridor, breathed, "Thank you."_

_It was all he could manage to say, but all that was needed._

_The boy gave him the faintest of smiles. Ginji could tell he hadn't smiled in a long time, for it felt forced and empty of meaning._

* * *

_Safe inside the small room, the boy let Ginji collapse on the ripped sheet that was scrunched up on the floor, obviously used as the boy's bed._

"_Stay here," he ordered, before disappearing from the room._

_Minutes later he returned, gently closing the door behind him before coming to sit down next to Ginji. He was holding a wet scrunched up piece of cloth in his hand._

_Gently, he pressed the cloth to Ginji's cheek, slowly wiping away the blood and tears from his face._

_Ginji winced as the excess water from the cloth dripped into the tiny cuts on his skin._

"_Sorry," the boy said, then with a sigh, added, "They really got you, didn't they?"_

_Ginji managed a nod. "Yeah."_

"_What were you doing out of your room?" the boy asked._

"_I – I wasn't out of my room," Ginji whispered. "But he said … I was …"_

"_Oh." The boy said nothing else and glanced to one side. He returned his gaze and, when he had finished wiping Ginji's face, held out the cloth to him. "Here," he said, gesturing for him to take it._

"_Thanks," Ginji replied quietly, taking the cloth and pressing it to his swollen face. He instantly felt better as the material cooled his burning cheeks._

_The boy moved over the door and pressed his ear against the wood. After a moment he turned back and said, "I don't think they'll come upstairs now, so you can sleep here tonight. I'll sneak you back in the morning before they wake up."_

_Ginji shook his head. "I'll go back now. I don't want to get you into trouble."_

_The boy looked at him. "If you go back now they'll hear you. If they get hold of you twice in one night, you probably won't see tomorrow morning."_

_Ginji frowned at him. "How do you know?"_

_A pained expression flickered over the young boy's face, and for a split second Ginji could almost see an image of himself and how scared he'd been earlier. "Because," the boy said, "it happened to me."_

"_But …" Ginji hesitated, searching for a way to express his words. "You're still here."_

"_Only because another kid tried to help me," the boy replied. "Otherwise they would have beaten me to death."_

"_What happened to the other kid?" Ginji didn't want to know, but couldn't stop himself from asking._

_The boy sighed. It was full of sorrow. "I don't know. They locked us in our rooms after. I was kept in here for weeks and they feed me scraps they would push under the door, until I could walk. I never saw the other boy when I came out. I heard from the other kids the beating was too much for him, and he'd died, but I think he was luckier than me."_

"_Why?"_

"_Because he's free." The boy turned to look at Ginji. "Is that not what you want? Freedom?"_

"_Yeah," Ginji replied, glancing at the window. That was what he wanted with all his heart. Freedom … to escape this place … but wasn't it all just wishful thinking?_

_The boy moved away from the door and sat down next to Ginji, resting his elbows on his knees and laying his head on his arms. "I want to leave this place," he said quietly. "I want to be free."_

_Ginji looked at him. "Where would you go?"_

"_Anywhere," the boy answered. "I'd go anywhere."_

"_Oh." Ginji leaned back against the wall and looked at the cracked ceiling. He could feel his eyes going heavy and struggled to keep them open._

Anywhere, huh?_ He thought, before drifting off to sleep._

* * *

The mouse squeaked in Shido's ear, shocking him awake.

He lifted his head from the pillow, casting sleepy eyes down on the mouse that sat patiently on the nightstand.

Shido rubbed his eyes and pulled himself into a sitting position. "What is it?" he asked.

The mousse let out a series of squeaks.

A faint gasp escaped Shido's throat. He climbed out of bed and moved over to the window, looking out. He gazed over the dark garden with steady eyes before turning back to the mouse with a small smile. "There's nothing there."

"Unn … what's wrong, Shido?" Emishi's voice suddenly asked, muffled by the covers on the bed.

Shido looked from the mouse to Emishi. "It's nothing," he reassured him. "Go back to sleep."

"Did he wake you up again?" Emishi asked, shuffling his weight under the covers. "That's the third time tonight." He glanced at the mouse. "What's your problem, tiny?"

The mouse kept quiet, eyes glinting at Emishi.

Emishi groaned. "Why does he look at me like that? Do I look like a threat to him?"

Shido shoved his hands into his pockets, turning his back on the window. "I think it might be the other way around," he said.

Emishi's eyes narrowed at him. "That's cold, Shido."

"Hmph." Shido smiled. "Go to sleep, you idiot."

He waited until Emishi closed his eyes and listened to his breathing slow to a steady pace before turning back to look out the window. He glanced sideways at the mouse and said, "Are you sure it was down there?"

The mouse nodded.

"Very well." Shido closed his eyes and faced the glass. Keeping his voice low, he let out a breath and whispered, "100 beast semblance. Cat semblance."

When he opened his eyes the darkness outside looked back at him. But he could see through it. Taking his time, he carefully started to scan the hidden contents of the darkness.

* * *

_Ginji was woken abruptly by the sounds of thumping._

_He opened his eyes, frantically looking around the room, his heart rocketing against his ribcage with the sudden shock._

_The boy was no longer next to him, and Ginji thought he'd left him, but the door suddenly flung open, almost breaking away from the frame, to reveal the boy standing in the doorway._

"_We have to go!" the boy said, running into the room and grabbing Ginji by the hand before he had chance to speak._

_As he was pulled to his feet, Ginji noticed that he appeared much taller than the boy. He was looking down at his dark hair as he followed the boy out of the room. He thought nothing of it, as he couldn't remember if he was taller than the boy to begin with._

"_What's wrong?" Ginji asked. His eyes widened as he spoke. Was his voice always that deep?_

_The boy didn't seem to notice, and continued to pull Ginji down the corridor. His hand shook as he held onto Ginji's. "They found out," he explained breathlessly. "I heard them in the corridor. They know you're not in your room. They're searching the other rooms now!"_

_Ginji gasped, and his ears instantly pricked up. He could hear the faint yells of voices coming from behind him. He heard doors being opened and slammed shut, and the angry shouts as they searched for him. He could also hear the faded cries of the other children._

_Ginji looked down at the boy. "You should go back to your room," he said frantically. "If they see it empty, they'll know."_

"_No, I can't!" the boy said, his voice starting to break. He turned right and started leading Ginji down the staircase. "They'll know if someone else was in there. They always know!"_

"_But -"_

"_If they catch me again, they'll kill me," the boy said, his back facing Ginji. "And I - I don't want to die!"_

_The pure fright Ginji heard in the young boy's voice broke his heart. He thought back to how the boy had talked of leaving this place, of escape, but knew that dying - no matter how much it had seemed of the only escape - was not the way of freedom the boy was searching for._

_As they reached the bottom of the stairs and turned left, Ginji heard a yell from the top of the staircase._

"_Hey! The little brat's not in his room!"_

_The boy squeezed Ginji's fingers. "They've found out." He led Ginji into one of the rooms and shut the door._

_Ginji realized it was the same room he'd been dragged into by the shadow the night before. The chairs lay scattered about on the floor and empty glasses, some broken, sat on the rickety table in the center of the room._

"_Help me with these!" the boy whispered, letting go of Ginji's hand and grabbing a chair. He lifted it upright and placed it as quietly as he could against the door._

_Ginji could hear footsteps above them, but none came down the stairs. He started to help the boy move the chairs against the door and then, as silently as they could, they moved the table also._

"_This should buy us some time," the boy said. He ran over to the only window in the room and tried pulling it open, but it was locked. He grabbed one of the glasses off the floor and gestured for Ginji to stand beside him. "We have to be quick. As soon as they hear the window break they'll come downstairs and run outside to try and stop us."_

_Ginji could feel his heart pounding. He didn't realize how scared he felt. "Won't they catch us?"_

"_We should be able to run over the fence into them woods," he pointed outside the window, to the tall fence and trees standing behind it. "If we can lose them we might be able to find a road or someone to help."_

_Ginji looked at the boy. "You've done this before," he said._

"_I tried," the boy said. "I only made it to the fence before they caught me."_

"_Won't they know you're trying it again?" Ginji asked._

_The boy shook his head. "They were too drunk to remember. I just got a beating."_

_The thudding upstairs suddenly stopped. Ginji could hear the muffled voices directly above them now._

"_Are you ready?" the boy whispered._

_Ginji's mouth went dry, but he nodded. He reckoned that anything was better than staying in this room and getting caught. But, for some reason, he knew they were just preventing time from their fate._

_He opened his mouth to say so, to tell the boy that, if they ran away, their punishment would be much, much worse when they got caught, but the boy had already lifted his hand, clutching the glass in his fingers, and threw it with as much force as possible at the window._

_The voices above went silent as the glass shattered. A small hole appeared in the window, but was quickly followed by another, and another, as the boy threw as many glasses as he could. Finally there was a hole just big enough for them to squeeze through._

_Ginji looked at the hole, stunned. The boy had thrown each glass with great precision around the first hole, and Ginji couldn't believe the speed he had thrown them at._

_His stunned silence was interrupted as the voices yelled from upstairs. He lifted his head in fright as he listened._

"_The little bastards are downstairs!"_

"_Wasn't someone supposed to be down there?!"_

"_Just go, you fucking imbecile! It's your head if they escape!"_

_The voices were followed by heavy footsteps making their way down the stairs._

_When Ginji looked back the boy was already outside. There were cuts on his arms and legs where the broken glass had scraped his skin._

_He gestured frantically to Ginji to come outside. "Come on!" he whispered._

_Ginji realized with a shock that he wouldn't fit through the hole. The boy didn't seem to notice this and continued to gesture for him to jump through. Ginji ran back to the door and picked up one of the chairs. As he did the door suddenly jumped in its frame, and the voices appeared on the other side._

"_This one's been blocked!"_

"_Then break it down, you idiot!"_

_Ginji moved back to the window as the door was hit repeatedly. He lifted the chair, waiting for the boy to move to one side, and threw it at the glass. It smashed through the hole, making it wider, and landed in a broken heap on the garden._

_Ginji shot forward and quickly maneuvered himself through the gap, wincing as his hands were caught on the sharp edges of glass._

_As his bare feet touched the grass, he heard the breaking of wood from inside and the scrapes of the chairs being pushed to one side._

_The boy grabbed his hand and dragged him across the garden._

_When Ginji looked back he could see 3 or 4 shadows at the broken window. Despite the hole he had made for himself, the shadows were still too big to climb through, and he saw them frantically smash the remainder of the window with their fists. Soon they were clumsily pushing themselves through the frame._

"_Here!" the boy cried, stopping next to the fence. It was tall, but wooden, and he started to climb up, using the wooden planks going across as support for his feet._

_Ginji quickly followed, trying not to look back. He could hear footsteps running across the garden now._

_The boy had already jumped to the other side when Ginji reached the top. As he lifted his legs and released his fingers to let himself drop down, a hand suddenly appeared and grabbed his wrist._

_He couldn't see a face, but Ginji could hear malice laughing from the other side._

"_Heheheh. Though you could get away, aye?!"_

"_Let go!" Ginji cried, as another hand appeared over the top._

"_You'll pay …" a voice snarled. "You'll pay for this trouble, brat!"_

_The other hand reached out for Ginji's, but the one holding his wrist suddenly let go. The voice let out a cry of pain as his hand disappeared back over the fence._

_Ginji fell down as his hand was released. He turned in surprise to face the boy._

_The boy dropped the stones he had in his hand and grabbed Ginji's arm again, leading him into the woods. Ginji could hear the angry voices as they struggled to pull themselves over the fence._

"_I'm sorry," the boy said breathlessly. "Did I get you?"_

"_No," Ginji said. "You have good aim."_

_The boy chuckled despite the fright Ginji knew he must have felt. "Thanks."_

_Ginji's bare feet hurt as he ran over the mud and stones, but he let himself be pulled further into the woods. He could still hear the voices, and knew they were over the fence now, but they were beginning to fade._

We might get away with this_, he thought, a tiny piece of hope beginning to form in his heart._

_If they could just find a way out, some sort of civilization, then they may have a shot of freedom._

_The trees suddenly started to thin out, and the boy stopped abruptly as they reached an opening in the woods. Ginji bumped into his back, and looked down at him._

"_Why are you stopping?" he asked._

_The boy lifted his head, eyes wide with shock, and lifted a finger to point ahead._

_Ginji followed his gaze, letting out a breath of surprise as he saw what the boy was pointing at._

_The lake that lay in front of them was huge; big and menacing as it covered most of the opening. The water was murky, almost threatening, and sloshed in small, muddy waves as the wind carried it against the grassy sides. Just past the lake a fence stood in the distance, not wooden, but metal, and it carried on either side for as far as their eyes could see. Above they could see the tall, sharp spikes that rested on top._

"_I don't believe it," the boy gasped. "They went this far …"_

_Ginji immediately saw the determination leave his body. The boy released his grip on Ginji's arm and let his hand fall limply to his side._

"_They went this way!" a voice suddenly cried out._

_Ginji spun around. He couldn't see anything but could hear the voices getting dangerously closer._

They're following our footprints_, he thought, frantically looking for a way of escape. He grabbed the boy's hand and pulled, but the boy remained rooted to the spot._

"_What are you doing?" Ginji asked. "Let's go!"_

"_It's no good," the boy said quietly, his eyes cast down. "They'll catch us."_

"_But you can't give up!" Ginji cried. "You wanted to escape!"_

"_I'm gonna kill them fucking brats when I get my hands on them!" Another voice shouted out from behind them, but still no shadows appeared._

_The boy kept his eyes to the floor. A faint smile appeared on his face. Ginji had a feeling it was the last smile he'd ever see from him again._

"_I wonder …" the boy said sadly. "If death is the only way out of here …"_

_Ginji looked at him in disbelief. Did he really want to take the same path the other kid had when trying to help him?_

_The sounds of running footsteps were getting closer. Ginji looked back quickly. The faint outline of shadows could be seen in the distance. At this rate they'd be caught in no time, and the daylight didn't help to conceal their presence._

_Ginji turned back. He reached out; lifting the boy into his arms, and took off around the lake, away from the voices._

"_What are you doing?!" the boy cried._

_He was surprisingly small and light in Ginji's arms, and didn't struggle to break free. Ginji glanced down at him as he ran. "I'm going to help you escape." He could feel the strength and determination growing within him as he spoke. "I won't let you die!"_

_The boy's wide eyes stared back at him, tears beginning to fall down his tiny features, revealing the true youth he had tried so hard to hide._

How can I let them catch him? _Ginji thought. _He's just a child!

_The boy clung to Ginji's chest, his fingers shaking uncontrollably. "You won't be able to outrun them …"_

"_I have to try," Ginji replied firmly. "I'm just as big as they are, so I have to try!"_

_He forgot about his height before, how his voice had sounded. Who he was supposed to be, who he was now. It didn't matter. As long as he kept his distance from them, the shadows couldn't catch them, and the boy remained alive._

_As he ran, neither he nor the boy realized the footsteps following them were getting higher and higher in number._

* * *

"Huh?!" Shido leaned closer to the window, his eyes widening in shock. His gaze hurriedly skimmed over the garden before it settled on a figure running toward the trees. He narrowed his eyes, until he could just make out the blonde, spiked hair. He blinked, his eyesight returning to normal.

"Ginji!" he yelled, but knew he couldn't be heard.

Emishi sat up hastily, abruptly awoken from his slumber. "What is it?" he murmured. "What's wrong?"

Shido ignored him and moved away from the window.

"Shido!" Emishi shouted, now wide awake, as his friend bolted from the room. He climbed out of bed and quickly followed him out.

Shido ran the short distance to Ban and Ginji's room, and flung open the door. It slammed against the wall and bounced back, promptly smacking Emishi in the face as he entered the room behind him.

"Midou!" Shido shouted.

Ban opened his eyes from where he sat in the corner, propped up against the wall, and lifted his head sleepily. "What?" he snapped, glaring at Shido.

Shido reached over and grabbed Ban's arm. "Ginji!" he said. "What's Ginji doing outside?!"

"What?" Ban released himself from Shido's grasp and shoved him to one side. He stood up and looked at the empty bed in front of him. "Son of a -"

"What were you doing sleeping down there?" Emishi interrupted, rubbing his face. "Damn that hurt."

Ban ignored him and seized Shido by the neck of his t-shirt, pulling him close. "Where's he heading?!" he demanded. "Where did Ginji go?!"

"He ran towards the back, near the woods." Shido stared daggers at him. "Now let go of me, you idiot!"

_Shit, I should have stayed awake!_ Ban released Shido and pushed him away. He barged past Emishi and ran out of the room.

The two listened as his footsteps echoed along the corridor and descended the stairs. Seconds later they heard the front door slam open and shut before Ban's footsteps faded.

Shido stood at the window and looked outside. He could see Ban running across the grass as he headed toward the back of the house, then his figure disappeared.

"What's with him?" Emishi asked, standing alongside Shido.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Shido said quietly. "Let's go, Emishi."

Emishi sighed. "I knew you'd say that."

* * *

**Chapter Fifteen End**

**To Be Continued In Chapter Sixteen**

* * *

**Author's Note:** Phew … be gone writer's block! Haha. I put the warning at the top just in case. I know I've probably written worse, but due to the abusive nature of the chapter I thought I'd best be safe.

Poor Emishi … I love to include little funny shots in there with him. He is the joker, after all.

Thank you so much to everyone that has reviewed, alerted, and added this story to your favorites (or even added me to your favourite author lists. Wow, thank you!) I read and take in every single review, and only wish I could reply to you all personally, but I thank each and every one of you for your continuous support, opinions and critique you have given me.

I'm off work for a bit so type, type, type I shall be doing. This keyboard has been shown no mercy (poor thing).

Again I thank you!

See you all soon,

Aoi


	17. Chapter 16: Ginji's Release

Based on the story: Getbackers

**Based on the story:** _Getbackers_

**Written by:** aoi kodomo

**Full Summary:** The Getbackers finally get their hands on a mission they can really sink their teeth into. However, when the spiritual world starts to cross with reality, will the duo be able to tell the difference between what's real and what's not? Does the ability to communicate with the dead really exist?

**Author's Note:** All characters of _Getbackers_ are copyright to Rando Ayamine and Yuya Aoki. Any additional characters are copyright to me.

**Rating:** T

* * *

**Get Back the Sacred Jewel**

**Chapter Sixteen:** Ginji's Release

* * *

_**Please note that this chapter may contain content that may not be suitable for some readers, or may cause offense. You have been warned.**_

* * *

_Ginji could feel himself growing even more breathless as he ran with the small boy in his arms. Carrying his weight slowed down his speed considerably and he had already run a great distance from the lake. The murky water had come to an end but the fence had not. Ginji contemplated whether to change his direction and head another way, but he knew he would only end up back at the building they had run from._

_The boy kept his eyes over Ginji's shoulder the whole time._

"_I can see them!" he exclaimed suddenly._

_Ginji groaned in frustration. _This is no good. I need to find a way out of here!

_The trees got thicker the further he ran. Ginji could feel himself slowing down as he pushed his way through the continuous stream of branches, each one groping at him like invisible fingers._

_He heard the loud cries of voices behind him, getting closer._

"_There they are! Don't lose sight of them!"_

"_They're getting closer," the boy whispered, his hands clinging tightly to Ginji's t-shirt._

"_I know," Ginji said breathlessly, not daring to waste any time looking behind him._

_The boy looked up at him. "I'm too heavy…" he began._

"_It's fine!" Ginji said, as reassuringly as he could despite the ache in his arms. "I won't let you go. You'll be okay, I promise."_

_His bare feet, now sustaining many cuts and starting to bleed, pounded the hard soil and dead leaves as he ran into another opening. Ginji paused for a milli-second, frantically looking around him; at the numerous trees surrounding them and the fence that went on forever, before continuing straight on._

_The early morning sun hit his eyes, almost blindingly, as he ran through the opening. He had just reached the other side when a figure suddenly emerged from the trees ahead, startling him._

"_Ahhh!" The boy jumped in fright and recoiled against Ginji's chest, almost winding him._

_Ginji halted, staring at the grinning face in front of him, and quickly bolted in another direction._

_He headed left, only to be greeted by another leering face, this time appearing directly in front of him. The shadow lifted his hand suddenly and reached over to grab the boy._

_The boy screamed, pressing himself as close to Ginji's chest as he could, his eyes wide with fear._

_Ginji clung to him tighter, stumbling backwards. The grappling fingers missed him by a whisper, just brushing against his t-shirt. He regained his balance and stood facing the shadow._

"_Heh heh," the shadow chuckled, teeth barred together as he laughed. He took a step forward and scowled at them. "It's no use, boy. You cannot outrun your punishment for trying to escape."_

"_We should dispose of them now!" A shadow appeared on Ginji's right, clenching his fists together. "Making us run all the way out here … I missed my fucking breakfast!"_

_Ginji gritted his teeth. These guys were blocking two of his paths. He had no choice but to run back, toward the lake, and hope to find another opening there._

_But as he turned to go back, a figure appeared from the veil of trees, grinning in satisfaction._

_Ginji gasped. _No!_ He and the boy were trapped in the middle, with three figures blocking their chances of escape and a fence stood towering behind them. Ginji took a step back and felt his body connect with the solid metal bars._

"_We're trapped …" the boy whispered, quivering uncontrollably in Ginji's arms._

_Ginji looked around, frantically searching for a way to escape as the figures stood leering at them._

I'll have to force my way past,_ he thought. _But I can't let them get to him.

_As he prepared to run ahead, hoping to free them of this trap, Ginji glimpsed the sudden movement from where he stood in the opening; hidden within the trees, and felt his heart practically stop inside his ribcage, before it hit him again with a sickening 'th-thump'._

_The boy felt it too, pressed against Ginji's chest, and looked up._

"_No!" Ginji cursed. _I don't believe it!

_Some of the figures fell from the trees, jumping down from the higher branches, landing awkwardly before straightening up and smirking at them. Others appeared from deeper within the woods, casually walking forward to make their appearances known. Soon they were gathered around Ginji and the boy, completely surrounding them, closing any gap of escape that Ginji darted his eyes to._

Damnit! _Ginji's grip tightened on the boy. _Why didn't I see them sooner?! _He couldn't understand how, in morning daylight, he had not picked up on anything._

"_Come here, boy," one of the shadows suddenly smirked. "And maybe we won't hurt you so bad."_

"_You've got a lot of nerve," another snarled. "How dare you disobey us? After all we've done for you." His eyes glinted at them. "You fucking little shits."_

_The boy began to cry, tiny fingers clinging to Ginji's t-shirt._

"_Aww, look, you made him cry."_

_A murmur of empty laughter drifted across the opening._

"_I'll do more than make him cry." The shadow took a step forward, closing the distance between them, and reached out his arms. "Let's see what other sounds you can make."_

_His grubby hands gripped onto the boy's arm, squeezing tight._

"_No!" Ginji yelled as the boy cried out. He lifted his arm and smacked the shadow backhandedly across the face._

_The shadow stumbled back, clutching his cheek, and glared at Ginji._

"_Why you -! You'll pay for that!"_

_Ginji glared back; despite the fear that was creeping into his heart and thudding against his chest, almost ready to burst out._

_His glare seemed to only make the shadows angrier._

"_We'll teach you a lesson," one growled. He stretched out his hand and grabbed the boy by his ankle, pulling his leg. "Let's start with you first!"_

"_No, please!" The boy hung on to Ginji's shoulders, clinging on for dear life._

_Ginji stumbled forward with the sudden force, almost losing his grip on the boy. He pulled back, hugging the boy to him, trying to shake the shadow's grasp from his ankle without releasing his own grip._

"_Let go!" Ginji yelled._

_Another shadow stepped forward and grabbed the boy's arm, trying to pry him away from Ginji._

_Ginji removed one of his hands from the boy and punched the shadow in the face. He heard a crunch, and then the shadow fell back, stunned. Ginji heard him curse as he touched his face._

"_You bastard! I think you've broken my nose!"_

_In the split second Ginji had removed his hand, the fingers clinging to the boy's ankle suddenly pulled, and the boy fell from Ginji's grasp. He darted forward, managing to catch the boy before he hit the floor, but his grip was clumsy, and soon the shadow began to drag the helpless child across the soil, pulling him away._

"_No! Let go of him!" Ginji was holding onto the boy by just his fingertips now._

_The boy stared back at him, sobbing in fright. "Help me!"_

_Ginji shuffled forward on the dirt, taking a firm hold of the boy's wrist. He leaned back on his heels and pulled, managing to grab the boy around the waist. But as he tried to secure the boy in his arms, the other figures surrounding him suddenly moved in, grabbing Ginji's arms and legs, trying to pull them apart._

"_Get off!" Ginji yelled, holding on to the boy with all his effort._

_A searing pain suddenly hit the back of his neck, and Ginji saw nothing but blackness. In a second it dispersed; but the instance his vision returned, the boy was no longer in his arms, and was being held by the arms of a shadow._

"_No!" _

_Ginji reached out, but the pain returned. He fell to the floor, his vision disappearing. As he attempted to get up he could feel himself being dragged to his feet, his head lolling forward, his arms being pulled away from him. When he lifted his head, the leering face of a figure looked back at him, chuckling in satisfaction._

_The shadow lifted his hand and backhanded Ginji hard across the face._

"_That's payback, you brat!" He snarled._

_Ginji turned his head back. He could feel the burning pain pulsing in his cheek._

"_Don't!" the boy shouted, tears streaming down his face. Ginji's shocked eyes met his. "D-don't hit him! Please!"_

_The shadows chuckled. One turned to the boy._

"_Well, well," he grinned. "Would you rather we hit you, little brat?"_

"_No!" Ginji shouted._

"_You shut up!" the shadow growled, striking Ginji across the face once more. He smirked. "Oh, that's right; I shouldn't hit you anymore, should I?" _

_The shadow moved over to the boy, the smirk still masking his face, and lifted his fist. He struck the child directly in his stomach._

_The boy gasped, his breath coming out in a deep wheeze. He fell to his knees, one hand clutching his abdominal._

"_No!" Ginji struggled to break free, but the two figures holding him back hung on tight, their nails digging deep into his arms, piercing his skin. He could feel tiny droplets of blood creeping down the nooks in his elbows._

_The shadow stood over the boy and laughed. "Well, that didn't take much," he said smugly. "Did it?" He looked at Ginji, kicking the boy hard in the side as he did so._

_The boy stumbled forward, coughing._

"_Stop it!" Ginji growled._

"_Sure, I'll stop," the shadow smiled, moving away from the boy. "I'll just let my friends here beat the kid senseless. And you," he pointed a grubby finger at Ginji, "can stand there and watch."_

_The figures all grinned at one another, some moving forward._

"_This will be fun." One placed his fist into his palm and smiled. "You've caused us some shit this morning. We need something to take our frustrations out on." He bent down and grabbed the boy by his hair, pulling him up. "It'll be fun hearing you scream."_

_Ginji's eyes widened as he let the boy go, forcefully pushing him to the floor. The defenseless child hit the soil face-first, groaning in pain._

_The shadow leered over him. He lifted his foot and placed it on top of the boy's head._

_Ginji gasped, his heart pounding frantically. "No!" he screamed._

_The shadow's foot came down abruptly._

_Ginji heard a sickening crack._

_The boy screamed as his nose was crushed. Ginji saw blood dripping from it, mingling with the soil._

_The shadow started grinding his foot on the boy's head. "How does it feel? Do you like having your nose broken, brat?!"_

"_Stop it!" Ginji stumbled forward, almost breaking free, but the grasps on his arms just got tighter, and pulled him back forcefully._

_Someone growled in his ear. "Stop struggling, you son of a bitch!"_

"_Stop hurting him!" Ginji shouted, as the shadow removed his foot from the boy's head and kicked him again, nudging him over with his boot._

"_Why?" the shadow asked as he rested his foot onto the boy's stomach. The boy lay there, coughing and holding his nose as it bled, unable to gather the strength to squirm away from underneath him._

_Ginji gritted his teeth. The muscles in his neck tightened as he attempted to move forward, straining with effort, but no matter how much he struggled, they kept pulling him back. His jaw clenched; he knew he could do something, _anything_, but what that was he couldn't fathom. All he knew was that he promised this young boy - whose name he didn't even know - protection, and he had broken his promise._

_The boy struggled to move his head, and Ginji's chest tightened when those small, pain-inflicted features turned to him. He kept one hand clamp over his nose, but Ginji could see the fear welling in his tear-filled eyes; hear them crying out to him._

Help me_, they said._

"_Pft, it's no fun when they don't put up a fight." The shadow leaned his foot into the boy's stomach, his boot pressing down relentlessly._

_The boy continued to cry, his sobs coming out in short, sharp gasps, muffled between his fingers. He never spoke as he looked up at the shadow towering over him._

"_DON'T!" Ginji yelled, but it was too late._

_The boot came down hard. Ginji stiffened; he heard a rib crack._

_The boy screamed. His hands came up, trying to push the shadow's foot off him. It was the first time he fought back, the pain too much to bear._

_The boot lifted slightly. Then it came down again._

"_Stop!"_

_The boy's cries echoed across the opening, ignored by everyone except Ginji. He let go of the shadow's foot, his hand dropping weakly onto the soil by his side._

_The shadow removed his foot and stomped on the boy's fingers, crushing them._

"_STOP IT!" Ginji could feel the rage bubbling up inside him. He lifted his arm with all the strength he could muster and slammed his elbow into the figure's face behind him._

_The figure cried out, caught off-guard, and fell back into the fence._

_Ginji darted forward, one shadow still trying to hold onto his other arm, and reached out for the boy. His fingertips brushed the child's arm._

_It took a split second for the others to realise what he had done, and they all charged at him at once. Someone punched Ginji in the face, and he saw stars as he was pushed back against the fence. He cried out as the metal bars slammed into his shoulder blades, but the pain was nothing compared to what he knew the boy was enduring._

"_Let go of me!!" Ginji screamed. At least four figures were trying to restrain him now, clinging to his arms and legs, pinning him back._

_The shadow stood over the boy and leaned down. He grabbed the boy's wrist, hoisting him to his feet like a rag doll._

_The boy seemed to dangle from his hand, his eyes glazed over with pain._

_The shadow laughed. It was cold and heartless. "Well, I think my turn's over." He gestured to the others standing around him. "G'head boys. He's still got some life in him yet."_

_Ginji could feel the hot tears behind his eyes as he watched another shadow approach the boy. _I can't believe this … This can't be happening …!

_He felt so useless. He couldn't do anything._

_The shadow leered at the boy. He lifted a hand and backhanded him across the face._

_The boy let out a whimper, unable to do anything else. His hand lay limply by his side, the fingers dirty and broken; the other hand still being held by the shadow stood next to him._

"_Stop it! You'll kill him!"_

_The shadow turned to Ginji. In the glare of the sunlight, Ginji could have sworn he almost saw an expression; a face, but it vanished as soon as it had come._

"_We can't let him live now, can we?"_

Th-thmp …

_Ginji's eyes widened. An angry gasp lodged its way inside his throat; his mouth opening and closing as the words sunk in. His heart thumped furiously against his chest, echoing all the way up to his ears; as a hot wave of fury rocketed across his mind so strongly he could almost reach out and touch it. It seemed to weave its way through his bloodstream, pumping into his heart and swirling around his body, right down to his fingertips. A flash of indignation darted across his shocked gaze._

_He closed his eyes tightly, seeing sparks, and his face contorted with a mixture of pain and rage as he screamed._

* * *

"Midou!"

Ban heard Shido calling behind him, but didn't stop, and continued to race through the woods, swiping at the trees in his path, ignoring the branches tugging at his pants and scratching against his exposed skin around his torso and arms. He couldn't see anything in the darkness, and could feel himself getting more and more frustrated. He stood on something sharp sticking out of the ground, and swore as it cut into his bare foot.

_What the hell is he playing at?!_ Even as the question crossed Ban's mind, he felt he already knew the answer.

"Ban! Just stop for a second, will you?!" Shido caught up to him. He reached out and placed a hand on Ban's shoulder.

Ban spun around, shrugging him off angrily. "What?!" he snapped, eyes blazing.

Without his glasses his eyes looked more alive, more threatening, Shido thought, but, standing next to him, he knew why, and could almost feel Ban's frustration radiating from him in angry waves.

"Oww! Get off!" Emishi appeared behind Shido, batting away at a branch lodged in his hair. He untangled his bed-head locks, breaking free from the tree's clutches, and glared at Shido. "Hey! You kept hitting me with tree branches, Shido! Look; one scratched my beautiful face!" He pointed to a small scratch on his cheek, just below his eye. Shido could only just make it out. "You could have poked my eye out –"

"Emishi," Shido said, cutting him off.

"I may be scarred for life!" Emishi cried, his voice getting suddenly higher. He sounded like a whining girl.

"Emishi," Shido said again, the name alone indicating how stupid he thought that was.

"But Shido –"

"Are you done?!" Ban shouted. "I haven't got time to listen to your lover's spat!" He spun around, turning his back on them, and started forward.

"Wait!" Shido grabbed Ban's wrist quickly. "You don't know where he is! You can't see anything in this darkness. At least let me –"

Ban turned and yanked his wrist back so forcefully, Shido almost fell into him. Ban shoved him back as their shoulders connected. Shido regained his balance and stared at Ban; his face angry, but not nearly as angry as Ban's looked, his eyes flickering with unfathomable vehemence.

Emishi stepped forward, one hand raised. "Hey Ban, you didn't have to go that far –"

Shido heard the scream first, just before it cut Emishi off, oddly faint but very clear at the same time, sounding close but also very far away; a cry that drifted through the darkness, coursing through the tress before it met his ears. He stopped glaring at Ban to look around them. He saw Ban's eyes widen; only slightly, in which Shido saw what he thought was a flicker of panic, before they narrowed sharply; blue irises glinting dangerously in the moonlight.

Emishi looked up too, his hand still lifted. "What was that?" he asked, stunned.

Ban ignored him and ran off immediately, his body vanishing into the dark night as he left Emishi and Shido behind. They could see his back, getting smaller, as he disappeared into the trees.

"Where are you going?!" Emishi called. He moved to go after him.

"_Stay there_!!" Ban's voice bellowed back.

Something in his tone stopped Emishi in his tracks. His feet scuffed the dirt. He turned to Shido, a mixture of confusion and slight annoyance on his face. "What's with him?"

Shido didn't know; although he undoubtedly knew just by judging Ban's reaction that it concerned Ginji. _That scream … it sounded like Ginji_. It was so eerie, so faint, Shido couldn't be certain, but his instincts told him that, even if it wasn't him, Ginji had something to do with it.

When he didn't reply, Emishi inched closer to Shido. "Should we go after him?" he asked, studying Shido's face. "Shido?"

Shido looked at the spot where Ban had disappeared. A patch of darkness stared back at him. He sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets. "No."

"What?"

Shido turned back to Emishi. "I said no. Let Midou handle this himself."

"But –"

"Do _you_ want to go after him?" Shido interrupted, the question implying that Emishi shouldn't go at all.

Emishi shuffled his feet. "I guess not."

"Then we'll wait here."

Emishi glanced at Shido. "Since when do you listen to him?"

"I _don't_," Shido said defensively, turning away. _But … if it's Ginji …_

Emishi watched him carefully, a sigh drifting from his throat. "Man Shido …"

* * *

Ban could hear his own breath come out in short, deep huffs as he pushed his way further into the woods; knowing that Emishi or Shido would make no attempt to follow him. The moonlight provided very little light, and he continued to scratch himself on the branches that jutted out in all different angles from the trees; creating tiny cuts all over his upper body, some starting to bleed. He could barely see a thing, only passing flickers of the path in front of him as he ran, and knew, without even glancing at the footprints in the soil, that Ginji had come this way.

Ban paused for a brief second; looking around. He exhaled, his breath leaving his body in a dejected sigh.

That scream had come from Ginji, he was sure of it. In fact, he _knew_ it was Ginji. The feeling inside his chest told him nothing otherwise. But it had sounded so frightened, so full of pain, and …

_Rage_, Ban thought, shaking his head a little. Rage and Ginji didn't mix.

He carried on running straight, speeding up as the trees became thinner, and eventually came to the lake Emishi and Shido had stumbled upon yesterday.

Ban stopped again, ignoring the hard pounding of his heart against his chest. The cold night air licked his bare skin, a faint breeze whistling through the black sky, and Ban could almost hear Ginji's voice being carried with it; scared and angry at the same time, before it drifted away.

He turned and ran across the wide opening, keeping his distance from the water, which seemed to glow with an icy blackness that almost watched him. He soon left the lake behind, and the trees cut across his path once again, slowing him down only slightly as his sheer will drove him forward.

He was close now, he knew. He could hear Ginji's scream, echoing inside his head, and could practically feel his partner's presence; but it didn't feel right. A deep worry weighed on his chest, and Ban had a suspicious feeling he wouldn't like what he was about to find. It was just an inkling; but that inkling soon turned into an instinct, and he hated that, because, wherever Ginji was concerned, his instincts were always right. Always.

The trees began to thin out again, virtually parting for him as he made his way through. Up ahead, Ban saw a glimpse of blonde hair, and the trees finally dispersed completely to reveal Ginji standing within the small opening. As Ban approached he slowed to a walk, closing the distance, until he was just a few meters away.

_Ginji_.

Ban said nothing, inching closer until he too stood within the opening, and studied Ginji with a perturbed gaze. Ginji stood facing sideways to him but, looking from this distance, Ban could see the glazed expression on Ginji's face, and knew, like an animal sensing danger before it happened, he was going to have a tough time with this.

"Ginji."

Ban spoke aloud this time; keeping his voice firm but soft despite the infuriation he felt.

Ginji turned to him slowly; his eyes flickered briefly. His arms were raised, palms facing upwards. Like a mime posing for an act, Ban was under the impression he held something in his arms, or thought he did; however Ban saw nothing there himself.

Ginji's eyes clouded over, the glazed expression back on his face. He lifted a hand at Ban, palm facing him; the fingers shone suddenly.

It took Ban longer to react than normal, his stunned surprise delaying his usually sharp reflexes. He darted sideways, the unexpected voltage brushing his bare arm; causing an ephemeral whisper of pain that flickered across his skin before it disappeared. His foot pushed against the dirt as he regained his balance. He stood up straight; his face failing to conceal his surprise as he looked at Ginji, who kept his gaze on the spot where Ban had moved from, hand still raised, his fingers continuing to glow intensely.

_What the _hell_ do you think you're doing?! _Ban wanted to scream, but he said nothing, eyes locked vigilantly on Ginji's face, waiting for him to move.

It seemed to take Ginji some time to realise he had missed his target. That's what Ban immediately came to see he was: a target. He turned; his movements were slow and precise, and his eyes eventually found Ban's. Ginji stared at him with an uncompromising gaze.

Ban suddenly felt an urge to laugh; Ginji wouldn't stare at him that way.

Ban took a step forward. A hiss of smoke trailed from his arm and he glanced down to look at it before lifting his gaze, his eyes meeting Ginji's defiantly. "Don't glare at me like that."

Ginji said nothing; but his head angled up slightly. Ban knew he'd heard him.

Ginji flexed his fingers, sparks escaping from the tips in all different directions. The flow of electricity snaked up his legs, circling his torso and arms, all the way up to his hair, which Ban noticed was beginning to stand on end, the strands glowing with energy. The light radiating from him illuminated the opening, surrounding them, surpassing the moonlight completely. Ginji's arm moved steadily through the air, until the palm of his hand faced Ban again.

Ban laughed; it came out short and dubious. "You're going to try to hit me?" he asked, almost challengingly. "You'll miss, Ginji."

The electrical charge came at him instantly as Ginji took aim. Ban dodged it, moving sideways, his reaction swift and accurate. He felt a breath of heat on his skin, transpiring as quickly as it vanished. Ban glanced over his shoulder briefly to see the voltage diffuse into thin air, a number of tiny remains glinting, before they too disappeared. He turned back, a vacant smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"I told you you'd miss, Ginji," he said.

Ban saw the rage and frustration flash in Ginji's eyes as another burst of electricity dispelled from his fingers. Ban sidestepped again, but he misjudged the amount of power behind it, and hadn't moved enough. Like tantalizing fingers creeping from the side, the voltage caught his arm completely, taking hold, sending his arm into a spasm as it burned into his skin. Ban gritted his teeth and waited for the pain to recede. When it did, he grabbed his wrist; staring at his hand as the whispers of smoke surfaced from it, a look of bemusement etching on his face.

When he looked up, Ginji was still staring at him; hand poised, his expression unwavering. The resilience in his gaze was almost overpowering. Ban could not only see but hear the swirls of electricity dancing around him now; obeying to Ginji's every whim.

Ban glanced at Ginji through narrowed eyes; studying him carefully. His arm stung with an intense heat, but he dismissed any pain that remained and took a cautious step toward his partner.

"Stay back."

Ban stopped. It sounded like Ginji, but didn't; the words came out threatening, which didn't suit Ginji at all. Ban took another step forward, showing no signs of diminishing. He stopped again; his nose just inches away from Ginji's outstretched hand, and caught his eyes between his fingers.

In Ginji's eyes, though unseeing but transfixed, Ban saw the true intent reflected in those eyes; the desire to eradicate him completely. At this evident time, Ban wasn't Ban to Ginji, and although Ginji was Ginji to Ban (but also not); Ginji had no awareness of this.

Ban's eyes practically glinted black in the darkness as he spoke. "You can't get rid of me, Ginji," he said decisively, ignoring the electricity that seemed to hover around him more and more; doubling, perhaps tripling in currents. Ban made a fist and thumped it into his other hand, a grin suddenly appearing on his face.

"Ginji …"

Ginji watched him irately, saying nothing.

"… I'll be the one to wake you from this nightmare."

* * *

"It's cold."

Emishi sat on the hard ground, his back leaning uncomfortably against one of the trees. He shuffled his feet so they were pressed into his body, his knees pulled in close to his chest for extra warmth. Despite the fact that he was fully dressed, he could still feel the cold breeze that seeped through his clothes and penetrated his skin. He looked up, his eyes finding Shido.

"Shido? Don't you think it's cold?"

"Hmm."

Shido remained stood in the same spot he'd had before, hands stuffed deep into his pockets. Every so often he would glance in Emishi's direction, or look into the woods, gazing at the darkness between the trees, saying nothing. Not much time had passed since Ban ran off, but already Emishi had a funny feeling growing in the pit of his stomach; and not a good one at that.

"So you're just going to stand there and wait for him?" Emishi asked, more or less to himself than to Shido. He looked at Shido and chuckled.

Shido frowned at him. "What's so funny?"

"It's odd, that's all."

"What is?"

Emishi grinned. "That you'd be worried about him; Midou, I mean."

Shido clenched his fist at Emishi. "I'm not worried about that idiot!" he snapped.

"Oh," Emishi said, feigning innocence. "I see then; my mistake." He looked away and stared at the ground; his face suddenly taking on a serious look. "I wonder if Ginji's okay … and Midou - he seemed really edgy …"

Shido studied him quietly. "Emishi," he said after a moment, and Emishi lifted his head to look at him. Shido smiled faintly. "Get rid of that face. It doesn't suit you one bit."

Emishi blinked up at him. "You don't like my face?" he quipped, eyes watering suddenly.

Shido grimaced; he knew Emishi far too well to fall for that. He turned his back on him, lifting a hand and waving the question away.

Emishi smiled at Shido's back. "You're so cold, Shido."

"Shut up, you idiot."

* * *

**Chapter Sixteen End**

**To Be Continued In Chapter Seventeen**

* * *

**Author's Note: **Hmmm … Ban vs. Ginji - who would win? Quick! Put on some action music for the next chapter!

Haha. I apologize if they're any mistakes in this (grammar / spelling, etc. I mean) – Uploaded it in a rush so I'll read through it properly later and change it if necessary.

Thank you so very much guys and gals for your continuous support, comments, critique with this; I take in every single comment and really appreciate them. They're real motivators. I'm very happy you take the time to read and comment on the story, and offer your patience and encouragement. I recognize your names so I know you've been with me from the beginning – you're all great!

To those that have just stumbled upon my story and commented, alerted or added it to your favorites: Hi! I'm Aoi - and I'm thrilled you've found my story. Again, I appreciate the time taken to read and comment on this.

See you in the next chapter!

Aoi


	18. Chapter 17: Ban vs Ginji

Based on the story: Getbackers

**Based on the story:** _Getbackers_

**Written by:** aoi kodomo

**Full Summary:** The Getbackers finally get their hands on a mission they can really sink their teeth into. However, when the spiritual world starts to cross with reality, will the duo be able to tell the difference between what's real and what's not? Does the ability to communicate with the dead really exist?

**Author's Note:** All characters of _Getbackers_ are copyright to Rando Ayamine and Yuya Aoki. Any additional characters are copyright to me.

**Rating:** T

* * *

**Get Back the Sacred Jewel**

**Chapter Seventeen:** Ban vs. Ginji

* * *

"_Gnh – Ahhhhhhhhhhh!"_

_As he screamed, Ginji felt the anger, fear and pain rush to his chest, waiting – just under his skin – to burst out. It was not only his hurt; but he felt the boy's pain, too - almost sharing it with him. He also felt the pain and guilt from a promise he couldn't keep._

I won't let you go …

_Why …_

You'll be okay …

_Why did I say that?_

I promise.

_He kept his eyes closed and allowed the anguish to soar through his body, clenching and unclenching his hands as he fought the uncontrollable urge to let go. He was losing himself, he knew; but a part of his mind told him that this was the only way to end it: to end his suffering and the suffering of the child he couldn't protect. And if this was the only way, so be it. He'd rid them of all the hurt so there would be no hurt anymore. He'd make everything go away and eliminate all the demons that inflicted pain on them with the power he had now; the power that bubbled treacherously on the surface, waiting, asking, ready, to be released._

_He was Ginji Amano._

_He was the Lightning Emperor._

_And he would end this now._

_Ginji's screaming grew louder as the electrical energy flowing beneath his skin coursed through every vein in his body, right down to his fingertips. It hurt, but not so much physically, and his heart felt ready to explode as he released the uncontainable energy that virtually begged him for freedom. A flicker of reluctance edge across his mind, appearing as quickly as it vanished, until he finally obeyed and let the energy disperse. It came from him in enormous amounts, like high-tide waves crashing angrily against a shore when carried by a raging storm; every one of his emotions were convulsing together, before crashing into a sea of fury all around him._

_The pain grew distance, numb, and his screaming stopped._

_Ginji opened his eyes. He could see the frozen figures surrounding him as his vision came into focus. The shadows that were restraining him previously had let go of his arms and legs, and were now cowering against the fence. Although he had his back to them he knew they were there. He practically smelt their fear; as though he could reach out behind him and capture it in his hands._

_His eyes immediately made contact with the boy; he was limp as he remained hung by the wrist from a shadow's grasp, his eyes closed, his small body battered and lifeless._

_Ginji's eyes flashed._

_He heard the shocked gasps – the fearful intakes of breath – as he walked away from the fence and across the opening. His body glowed dangerously; the figures stumbled back as he passed them, their bodies turning rigid with fear._

_He stopped in front of the shadow and held out his hand._

"_Give him to me." His voice came out slow and threatening as he gestured to the boy._

_The shadow stiffened; he instantly released the child from his grasp. Ginji stepped forward and grabbed the boy before he hit the ground. He placed a hand on the child's back, his fingers touching the fragile spine and shoulder blades through his tattered rag of clothing, and scooped the boy into his arms, his other hand holding him securely under his legs. The boy's head slumped against Ginji's chest; he didn't move or make a sound, as though he were merely sleeping. But Ginji knew he wasn't sleeping; the relentless beating had taken its toll on such a small frame. The fight for life had vanished instantly, and in the back of his mind Ginji questioned if the boy was unconscious, or even dead. Holding onto him now, Ginji could neither feel, see, nor hear a breath of life. He wondered when the boy had stopped fighting completely, whether he had seen it, and if this means of escape was really what he wanted._

_Ginji straightened up, his face expressionless, and fixed the shadow with a steady gaze. He held the boy close to him and removed his hand from his legs, lifting it to face the shadow, the palm just millimeters from his face. The sparks of electricity danced from Ginji's fingertips all the way down to his toes, making his body tingle and his hair stand on end. _

_Ginji studied the figure before him; having no intention of showing mercy. As he stared he saw the shadow shaking uncontrollably. His eyes narrowed, completely rid of empathy._

"_Why don't you run?" Ginji asked, his voice strangely calm, hand still outstretched. "If you don't I will do to you the very pain you've inflicted on him."_

_The shadow said nothing, frozen to the core. The other figures around him moved back, but made no attempt to flee._

_The glow of Ginji's fingers intensified as his anger started to bubble back to the surface. He glanced at the boy before returning his gaze to the shadow. Another flash of rage washed over his mind, practically turning his world white. The irises of his eyes seemed to grow smaller as he glared at the shadow in front of him._

"_Murderer." The word came out in a low growl, decided and final, like a judge bearing down on a criminal who has broken the law, before his hammer connects to solid wood in conclusion. The burst of electricity flew from Ginji's hand abruptly; bright and powerful energy aimed precisely for his target. It struck the shadow directly in his face, before making a swift descend around his entire body, the electricity clinging on tight like invisible fingers as it held the shadow in its clutches._

_Ginji watched; eyes narrowed and mouth set in a straight line, as the voltage burnt its way into the shadow's body._

_The shadow screamed in agony. Ginji's gaze didn't waver._

_There was a sudden explosion of light, so intense the figures around Ginji lifted their hands to shield their eyes. The shadow let out one final scream, before he disappeared, vanishing into thin air._

_The light dimmed and Ginji lowered his hand. Turning, his eyes immediately caught the frightened gaze of another figure. He took a step toward him. The figure stepped back. Ginji took another step forward, raising his hand. He said nothing as the energy sparked and illuminated from his fingers, so bright it almost blinded the quivering figure standing inches away from him. He fixed the shadowed face with a fear-provoking stare and showed no hesitation as he struck him down with a fresh burst of electricity. The shadow cried out and stumbled back, stunned by the voltage, before he too vanished completely._

_Ginji let his hand drop and turned his body slightly. The terrified faces staring back at him were too many to count. Despite the fear he felt radiating off them now; Ginji could visualize clearly the pain and suffering they inflicted on the boy. It played across his mind over and over again in sudden flashbacks, and the rage had barely settled before it returned, weighing on his heart and drifting close to the edge._

_He lifted his hand once more._

_This would be penance for the promise he couldn't keep; for the young child he couldn't protect._

_For his own suffering, he would finish it._

_He'd end it now; with one final blow._

* * *

_In seconds it was over._

_Every one of the figures had disappeared, eradicated by Ginji completely, vanishing before his very eyes as he struck them down mercilessly. He did it quick, precise, quietly; terrifyingly flawless in the early morning daylight, not a soul there to witness it. But now it felt as though the shadows had not been there at all. Ginji stood in the opening alone, the glow of his electricity dimming; the small boy the only remaining presence as he lay in Ginji's arms. _

_When Ginji looked down at the boy the painful realization of guilt, why he had failed to protect him, passed momentarily across his face, before it was replaced with an expressionless look as he lost himself in his culpability._

_He remained that way for what seemed forever – though it was only a few minutes – and allowed his guilt to smother him, unawares that someone had silently entered the opening._

_It wasn't until he heard a sound – the faint tone of someone's voice – did he look up, angling his head to the side. His eyes flickered in a moment of incredulity before narrowing in on the person who had spoken._

_The figure said nothing as he looked at Ginji. But unlike the others, he neither shook nor stumbled back in fear as Ginji met his gaze._

_Ginji lifted his hand calmly; feeling nothing but familiar warmth as the electricity returned to his fingers. The boy's body provided little heat, but still Ginji held him protectively close, his body turned slightly, his gaze locked on the figure watching him. He let the electricity go fast, aimed precisely toward the figure. In the blink of an eye the figure darted sideways, out of Ginji's line of slight, the voltage missing him by a whisper as it brushed against his arm._

_Though he felt a brief inkling of surprise that he'd missed his target, it never showed on Ginji's face. He looked at the spot where the figure had been standing, empty woodland staring back at him, and turned slowly, his hand still in the opposite direction. He found the figure again, standing directly in front of him, and glared at him in growing annoyance and rage._

_The figure suddenly took a step forward, glancing at his arm before meeting Ginji's eyes. Ginji tried hard to see a face, an expression, but he saw nothing; just a shadowed blur._

_The figure spoke._

_Ginji lifted his head slightly. He couldn't hear what the figure said, but it didn't matter. He wouldn't let him get away; he had to eradicate them all. He flexed his fingers for a moment, feeling the currents circulating throughout his entire body, and slowly moved his hand so it was held out in front of him, facing the shadow. The morning sun stood behind the figure, creating more of a silhouette, but he would soon get rid of that. In a matter of seconds the silhouette would vanish, and he'd let the sun back through._

_The figure said something again._

_Again Ginji didn't hear it. But he heard a muffled sound, almost like a chuckle._

_The growing electricity dispelled from his fingers quickly as he let it go. The figure moved sideways again, faster this time, and looked over his shoulder as the wasted energy disappeared, only tiny traces remaining. He turned back to Ginji, and Ginji suddenly saw_ _something in the expression._

_It was there; a faded picture, but _there_. A smile etched on the figure's face, faintly noticeable but Ginji saw it, directed at him._

_The figure was smiling at him; saying something._

_Ginji's eyes glinted in anger._

_Smiling at him …_

Mocking _him …_

_The heat ran through his arm as Ginji released another attack of energy, this one more powerful than the last. He saw the figure dodge, stepping calmly to the side, but not enough. Ginji watched his electricity maneuver toward the figure, grabbing his arm and wrapping around it like vines. The figure never cried out once as the electricity burned into his skin, but Ginji could feel a brief amount of pain radiating off him. The spell was short, over in seconds, and the figure grabbed his wrist when the energy dispersed, looking at his arm before lifting his head back up to Ginji, watching him carefully._

_Ginji kept his hand lifted; the flow of electricity sparking in front of him._

_The figure continued to watch Ginji. He let go of his wrist and took a sudden step forward._

_Another wave of anger washed over Ginji. This was the first time a shadow had escaped him, and after three attacks he was _still _here, walking toward him without a hint of fright, approaching him calmly as he began to close the distance between them._

_Ginji's hand tightened on the boy curled against his arm, pressing the child closer to his chest._

"_Stay back." Ginji's voice came out in a low growl, his tone threatening. He glared back at the figure._

_The figure stopped, seemingly able to understand Ginji, but a moment later he walked toward Ginji again, stopping inches from his outstretched hand._

_Ginji blinked. _I can make him disappear_, he thought. _From this distance I can't miss.

_But he did nothing. The figure spoke a third time, and Ginji tried again to catch what was being said to him. He heard nothing, and watched as the shadow thumped his fist into his palm. His anger grew once more. Moments later he heard a muffled sentence of words, a determined tone beneath them. He could feel the figure's breath tickle his fingers as he spoke._

_Ginji's eyes flashed. It sounded like … No, he was positive …_

_Was he being challenged?_

_This figure in front of him, mocking him, was also _confronting_ him. He was sure of it._

_He was being stood up to at his most powerful. This figure – part of the reason he held the small boy in his arms – was glaring at him so daringly Ginji could almost feel the gaze burning into him._

_Ginji's eyes widened ever so slightly. The fury reflected in his pupils, directed at the cold-hearted being in front of him – this shadow that had caused him so much pain, so much anger, so much sadness. His skin heated furiously, the voltage swimming through his very bloodstream, from his toes to the finest strands on his hair, lighting them up with life. His fingers glowed brighter than before as he let the growing rage and infuriation consume him._

I'll be rid of you, _he thought, gritting his teeth angrily. _You won't cause me – or this boy – any more suffering!

_Ginji lowered his hand slightly. He glanced down._

_Here. He'd aim his attack right _here_. Ginji knew – although a linger of cynical doubt remained – that the figure had one, after all._

_He'd aim for the heart._

_The figure said something. But in his cocoon of self-pity, guilt, sadness and rage Ginji didn't hear it, nor did he see the sudden sympathetic look the figure gave him before he released all of his jumbled emotions into one overwhelming surge, the force almost jolting him back as he released the energy from his hand, letting out a cry as he did so, his face displaying the very pain and anger he felt. He held the boy to him like a life raft, afraid to let him go in case he disappeared too, leaving Ginji alone in his ocean of anguish, and focused all of his attack on making the figure in front of him disappear instead, so he could be free – free of pain, free of sadness, free of his own suffering that threatened to consume him deeper._

_The electricity sparked in front of Ginji like a raging fire until he could no longer see the shadow in front of him. He waited a moment, allowing the energy to dim and then vanish entirely, before lowering his arm._

_The opening stared back at him; silent and empty. He was alone once again._

* * *

"_I don't care what the weather man says 'cause the weather man says it's raaiin-ning … You don't hear me complaaiin-ning …_"

Shido looked at Emishi in exasperation. "What the hell are you doing?"

Emishi grinned up at him, still sat on the same spot on the ground he was sitting on fifteen minutes ago. "Singing."

Shido could feel his brow twitch in annoyance. "Why?"

"To lighten the mood," Emishi replied, as though it was obvious.

"You're killing the mood," Shido said, turning away and folding his arms, partially to keep his hands from groping for Emishi's neck. "So stop it."

"Fine, fine. I suppose it has to be raining for that song anyway, huh?" Emishi heaved himself up with a groan, like an old man attempting to maneuver himself out of a chair, and walked over to Shido, coming to a halt behind him. He rubbed his neck jadedly and spoke to Shido's back. "Are you sure you don't want to go and find them? Midou's been gone a while, after all."

Emishi saw Shido's head lower slightly as he replied, "No. We'll wait."

Emishi sighed, letting his hand drop. "Okay, if you insist." He shivered as the cold night air shot through his hair and brushed his neck, diminishing any warmth his hand had left there.

"Emishi." Shido kept his back to Emishi as he spoke, arm's still folded. "It's getting cold. You should go and wait inside."

Emishi watched Shido carefully, a little surprised. He smiled, his expression softening, and moved from where he stood.

Shido heard Emishi's feet scuff the ground as he moved. He hoped Emishi would listen to him and head back toward the mansion – he knew Emishi was perfectly capable of looking after himself and Hajime was inside anyway – but his eyes widened in surprise when he felt Emishi's back bump against his own, his shoulder leaning against Shido's uninjured one, half of Emishi's back pressed into his.

"What are you doing?" Shido asked after a moment.

Emishi shrugged. Shido felt it against his back. "I'm doing what you've just said: waiting."

Shido's surprise was short lived, and he chuckled, lowering his head and smiling at the ground.

"That's not what I said," he pointed out, "Idiot."

Emishi smiled. He shoved his hands inside the pockets of his jacket and felt the extra warmth radiating off Shido's back. "Oh well, close enough."

Shido shook his head. _I should have known better_, he thought, listening closely for any signs of Ban and Ginji returning, though all he could hear was the faint whistle of the wind and Emishi's steady breathing. Shido soon found his thoughts drifting to Madoka, and realized he was missing her more now than the time she had called him. He sighed quietly, wondering when he would return home.

Moments later Emishi started singing again.

* * *

_Ginji_ …

"… I'll be the one to wake you from this nightmare."

Ban saw Ginji's eyes flash furiously as soon as he had spoken; Ginji's hand glowed with so much power Ban could feel the heat from his fingers warming his face. If he moved any closer his face would touch Ginji's hand, so he remained where he was, watching carefully as Ginji lowered his hand and glanced toward Ban's chest.

Ban glanced down also. The electricity from Ginji's fingers lit up his bare skin, dancing around his heart but not touching him.

"I wouldn't aim there," Ban warned. "It might sting a little," he looked up and smiled at Ginji, a sympathetic look crossing his face, "Ginji."

But Ginji wasn't listening. Ban felt Ginji's rage – had been watching it slowly consume him – and dodged it when it came at him in a powerful blow, missing the burning electricity by millimeters. He was well out of range even when Ginji allowed the electricity to dim. He remained out of sight for a moment, hidden by the coverage provided from the trees, and watched his friend cautiously as Ginji looked around the opening.

_Man Ginji_. _You're not making this easy, are you? _Ban rested his hand against a thick trunk of one of the trees, thinking carefully.

He could use the Jagan, he knew; Ginji had met his eyes a number of times, albeit angrily, but a steady gaze at Ban like that could easily be captured and turned into a dream; or in this case, a dream within a dream. But he knew he would never do something like that, didn't require something like that; not when he could bring Ginji back with his own two hands. The Jagan would merely be cheating at a time like this. And he didn't need to cheat. Not with Ginji. Besides, he already knew what triumph card he'd play.

He pressed a hand to his stomach, feeling the heat from Ginji's attack still there. That one did hurt, he had to admit; Ginji had struck true. If he kept playing around like this he'd soon land himself in hot water.

Ban chuckled under his breath. _Heh, what am I thinking? I'm already in hot water._ He stepped away from the protection of the trees and stood in view of the opening. "Aren't I, Ginji?"

Ginji looked at him from where he stood, eyes blazing. Ban knew Ginji was aware of where he'd been hiding all along, so he merely smiled when Ginji met his gaze once again.

Ban stepped forward slowly. "I see that whatever, or should I say _whoever_ you were holding you've put down," he noted. Ginji had both his arms casually by his side as he stared at Ban, no longer holding his left arm up as though he'd been cradling someone. Ban had already figured it were a person, because Ginji held it so protectively close, but now he had nothing in his arms. Ban realized this was so Ginji could focus all of his power on destroying him, making him disappear.

"I suppose it'll be better this way," Ban mused, stepping closer to Ginji. "Despite your desire to eradicate me, I wouldn't want to retaliate and hit your new friend, would I?"

Ginji glared at him in reply, saying nothing.

Ban stared back firmly, his gaze unwavering. "Would I, Ginji?"

Ban suddenly disappeared from the spot where he stood, his movements so fast a normal person would never be able to track them. He darted swiftly from side to side, his feet barely making contact with the ground, until he was close enough to Ginji to strike out. Ginji moved just as Ban's hand grabbed the sleeve of his t-shirt, ripping it instantly. Ban stopped abruptly, his bare feet scuffing the dirt. He straightened up and dropped the ripped material from his hand, letting it flutter to the floor. Ginji had moved from his previous spot, and Ban turned slightly, his eyes finding him easily.

"I shouldn't expect anything less," Ban said, his voice low.

Ginji's body lit up furiously as Ban moved toward him again.

"As much as you want to, you can't get rid of me, Ginji," Ban cautioned. "In a few moments this will all be over, and then I can properly knock some sense into that thick-headed skull of yours for causing me so much trouble."

Ginji's hands clenched as his electricity soared through his body, sparking on the surface.

Ban smiled. "I think this will hurt me more than you," he said calmly. "I'll be getting a shock no matter how this goes."

Ginji attacked suddenly; relentless as he threw every bit of energy at Ban with both hands. The voltage pulsed through his veins, making even the ones in his neck stand out, and he hit the point accurately where Ban had been standing.

Ban's skill and precise speed made him dodge easily. Adamant that he wouldn't let Ginji hit him anymore – except for the one occasion that would in a couple of seconds arise – he moved as quickly as he could manage. Ginji saw him move, his eyes narrowing as he watched Ban dart between the trees, moving closer and closer toward him, and lifted his arm to block Ban's hand when it reached out for him, pressing his feet securely against the ground as Ban's weight pushed him back. Ban clamped his hand firmly down on Ginji's arm, holding on tight, gritting his teeth against the sudden pain that washed up his wrist from Ginji's electricity. He tugged on Ginji's arm, moving swiftly behind him, and pulled Ginji's wrist up behind his back, holding it securely in place.

Ban knew all too well that he was insane to even attempt to touch Ginji like this, and the entire time he felt nothing but hot pain as he held Ginji's wrist in place, his whole body on fire. He could see the smoke rising from his skin in continuous, zigzagged lines. The voltage shocked him so strongly he almost passed out, but he fought against it, bringing his other hand up to Ginji's neck.

Ginji cried out, releasing more voltage in an attempt to escape as Ban secured his thumb and fingers either side of his neck, pressing down tightly. His eyes flashed in anger and his free hand tightened into a fist. He spun around awkwardly, eyes blazing dangerously; twisting his own wrist as he attempted to punch Ban squarely in the chest.

Their eyes met, and in that instance Ginji suddenly hesitated, his knuckles brushing Ban's torso. His eyes widened only the slightest, before narrowing once more, and he soon snapped out of his pause. He moved forward, but the brief moment of hesitation was more than enough for Ban.

"This is for your own good Ginji!" Ban snapped. A pained look passed over his face and he felt a flicker of reluctance, allowing it to vanish as soon as it appeared, before he pressed his snake bite down hard on Ginji's neck. At that instance Ginji's fist connected firmly with his stomach.

A faint _click_ sounded from Ban's fingers.

Ban coughed, the sound strangled as the wind was knocked from him.

Ginji gasped. The light surrounding him dimmed suddenly and the strands on his hair became lifeless, some falling limp against Ban's hand.

His body jerked. Then it became still.

* * *

Ban waited in that stance for what felt like forever, his breath coming out in deep, ragged huffs as he let the air back into his lungs. He eventually removed his hand from Ginji's wrist, letting it drop to his side, traces of smoke still drifting from his skin. He let out one long, deep breath, feeling the perspiration as it trickled down his neck. He released Ginji from his snake bite, and watched his friend slump, unconscious, to the ground, making no effort to catch him.

Ban sighed. A rapid wave of pain washed over him and he stumbled backward, stunned, his shoulders connecting against one of the trees. He lowered himself down it, scratching his back on the trunk, and rested his head against the rutted bark.

He closed his eyes for a moment, breathing hard, allowing the cold breeze to cool his burning skin. When he opened them again they immediately found Ginji, watching him carefully through hazed vision.

Ban chuckled, pressing a hand to his forehead. "Man, I'm so pathetic; letting you get me like that." His eyes narrowed and his hand drifted to his stomach. "But you _did_ pack a wallop in that last one. Didn't you, Ginji?" He reached out, his hand fisted, wanting nothing more than to beat his idiotic partner senseless, but he stopped, his fist hovering over Ginji's head.

"Idiot," Ban muttered. "What's wrong with you?" He opened his hand and rested it on Ginji's hair, slender fingers weaving through the blond tufts. His expression softened.

"… Damnit Ginji."

* * *

Shido thought Emishi had fallen asleep behind him until the joker suddenly moved against his back and exclaimed, "Shido, look! They're back."

Shido moved to one side and turned around instantly. Emishi let out a startled cry and stumbled backward, failing to regain his balance before he toppled to the floor. He quickly straightened up with a short laugh and stood beside Shido.

A small gasp involuntarily came from them both when Ban appeared out of the darkness, sidestepping the trees in his path, slightly off balance as he moved forward, his breathing heavy with each step. An unconscious Ginji lay across Ban's right shoulder, held securely by his legs as Ban walked toward them.

"What happened?" Emishi asked when Ban was level with them.

Ban kept his head down and trudged past him. "Nothing," he muttered.

Emishi frowned. "But Ginji –"

"He's fine," Ban snapped, cutting him off abruptly.

"He's unconscious," Emishi pointed out.

Ban looked up, eyes glinting angrily. Emishi took a step back, stunned. "He's sleeping," Ban said, his voice dangerously low, almost carrying a threat beneath it.

"Oh yeah?" Shido asked intrepidly, stepping forward. "If he's just sleeping, then why are you so bent out of shape?" He lifted a hand and reached out to touch Ginji, to see for himself.

Ban removed a hand from Ginji's back and captured Shido's wrist in a vice-like grip. He glared at the beast master so intently Shido thought for a moment Ban was trying to use the Jagan on him, but his eyes widened slightly when he saw the rage sparking in Ban's vivid blue irises.

"I said he's sleeping," Ban repeated.

Shido stared down at him. He realized that Ban was pissed off, so close to the edge of his patience Shido could feel the anger pulsing from him. He held Shido's wrist so tightly it shook in his grasp.

Shido moved his outstretched hand away from Ginji, shoving it into his pocket. "You better tell us about this later, snake for brains," he warned. "Now let go of my wrist before I get mad."

Ban glared at him. He released Shido's wrist and returned his hand to Ginji's back. Then, without another word, he continued to walk forward, his movements slightly clumsy as he headed back toward the mansion, until he disappeared from site, leaving Emishi and Shido alone in his wake.

Emishi watched Ban disappear before turning to Shido. "That was certainly uncalled for," he said, leaning over and taking Shido's hand in his. "Look, he grabbed you so hard it left a mark."

Shido glanced at the imprints on his wrist where Ban's fingers had been. "Yeah," he agreed vaguely. _That bastard_. He took his hand back and started walking in the direction Ban had headed. "C'mon Emishi, let's go."

"We're going back?"

Shido stopped. He looked at Emishi and gestured to the woods surrounding them. "Do you want to stay here?"

Emishi thought about it for a moment, before shaking his head and walking beside Shido. "No, but thinking about it maybe it won't be so bad considering the pissed off mood Midou's in."

"You should be used to that mood by now," Shido pointed out.

"Well, not really," Emishi replied. "Usually you're more pissed off than him, but this time he's waaay more pissed off than _you_, so I think I'm used to your moods more. I _have_ known you longer."

Shido didn't know whether Emishi was trying to insult him or compliment him.

* * *

Ban leaned back into the ancient armchair, rubbing his eyes wearily, allowing the remains of his anger to evaporate, although fragments of it tickled on the surface that he was unable to dispel. He was tired, very tired, but at the same time wide awake.

He looked around the small reception room, noting the lack of furniture in this one, before tilting his head back, staring up at the Victorian-styled ceiling.

_Never noticed that before_, he thought. He closed his eyes, the pattern captured inside his closed vision. _A cigarette would be good right about now_.

Ginji groaned suddenly and Ban opened his eyes. He'd moved the armchair close to the couch he had laid – or practically _thrown_ – Ginji on, too exhausted to take the flight of stairs to their bedroom, and now watched him carefully through tired eyes. He waited for Ginji to make another sound, but when he didn't Ban leaned his head back, relaxing into the chair once more. His snake bite had packed some force so he didn't expect Ginji to wake up so soon, although it wouldn't surprise him if he did.

Ban had heard Shido and Emishi return minutes after he had. He'd heard Hajime's surprised voice in the corridor, expressing his concern that they had been outside, having not seen Ban come back in. Carrying Ginji inside with him meant that he had opened the door clumsily, allowing it to bounce back in its frame before slamming shut, startling Hajime awake. The older gentleman had been sleeping in a room adjacent to the top of the stairs so it didn't surprise Ban that he'd woken him up. Shido's voice had echoed down the corridor, explaining that he and Emishi had been checking something out, not mentioning that Ban had been outside too, and Ban heard him apologize to Hajime for disturbing him before their footsteps headed back upstairs. Two doors slammed shut, and all went quiet once more. Ban heard shuffling above him and guessed he was right beneath Emishi and Shido's room, as he could hear them moving about and the faint, muffled sounds of voices. He suspected that neither of them would go back to sleep.

"Monkey boy's not going to let me talk my way out of this one," Ban murmured, talking to the ceiling. "Annoying bastard," he added, hoping that Shido would hear it.

Of course he didn't, and Ban turned his attention away from the ceiling and back to Ginji. He was tempted to lean over and push Ginji off the couch, shocking him awake so that he could beat him senseless and listen to Ginji's whining voice cry out in protest as he asked, "Ba-aan! What's that for?!" and then he could snap back, "You know damn well what it's for!"

But watching him now, Ban could only decide that it would be cruel to do so, no matter how much he wanted to knock some sense into Ginji for his stupidity. Thinking about it now he knew it wasn't Ginji's fault, and even though his frustration still bubbled beneath the surface, making him clench his fist and leave fingernail marks inside his palm, he reasoned that it had been against Ginji's will all along to fight him. He'd just been so blinded by rage that he hadn't known it was Ban he was trying to take his suffering out on.

_You were so determined to kill me, weren't you Ginji?_ Ban thought, resting his cheek in his palm, remembering the pure desire to eradicate him that had come from Ginji in wave after furious wave.

Ginji let out a breath in reply. His chest rose and fell slowly.

"Hmph." Ban smiled into his hand. Compared to the heated throbbing that still wavered across his skin, Ginji had gotten off easy. Whereas Ginji had tried to burn him to death with heaps of voltage, Ban had merely _prodded_ him back to normal. He could only hope that Ginji's aim to destroy him had vanished in the process.

Ban reached out and pressed his first two fingers to Ginji's forehead, poking him gently. "Whatever you're dreaming Ginji – if anything – you better not be trying to obliterate me."

Ban watched his friend carefully, and could only wish that he could see and feel Ginji's thoughts as he kept his two fingers connected to Ginji's forehead.

* * *

**Chapter Seventeen End**

**To Be Continued In Chapter Eighteen**

* * *

**Author's Note: **Play the action music! Haha.

-shoots herself for the lateness- Ahh, sorry sorry!

This chapter is short, so I apologize immensely for that. I did have five more pages on the end, but it didn't tie in with the chapter so I cut them out and put them at the beginning of chapter eighteen. But this means that chapter eighteen will be up sooner so keep an eye on your inboxes!

I want to thank you all again for reading this story and taking your time to send reviews of encouragement, critique, and your thoughts and overview. I truly appreciate it.

This had more shounen-ai than I thought (haha, or perhaps that's just me). I'm not sure if Emishi would know that song he sang, but I heard it a fair few times when I was a kid and it has a childish tone I think Emishi would use to annoy Shido.

Aoi


	19. Chapter 18: Fragments of Truth

Based on the story: Getbackers

**Based on the story:** _Getbackers_

**Written by:** aoi kodomo

**Full Summary:** The Getbackers finally get their hands on a mission they can really sink their teeth into. However, when the spiritual world starts to cross with reality, will the duo be able to tell the difference between what's real and what's not? Does the ability to communicate with the dead really exist?

**Author's Note:** All characters of _Getbackers_ are copyright to Rando Ayamine and Yuya Aoki. Any additional characters are copyright to me.

**Rating:** T

* * *

**Get Back the Sacred Jewel**

**Chapter Eighteen:** Fragments of Truth

* * *

"_Ryuumei … Ryuumei …"_

_Ginji opened his eyes, squinting against the penetrating sunlight. His back was pressed against something hard, uneven, and he shuffled his weight slightly. He brought a hand up to his forehead, blocking out half of the light, and concentrated hard on the figure standing before him._

_The figure gazed down at him, one hand placed elegantly in his coat pocket. He smiled, and Ginji felt an odd sensation of kind warmth looking down at him from his brown eyes. His hair was long and unnaturally wavy, but he had it neatly tied back, and he brushed a flyaway strand from his face before reaching a large hand out to Ginji._

"_Ryuumei," his voice was deep, soft, and Ginji felt drawn to it._

_Ginji looked at the hand but didn't take it. He frowned; unsure what he had been doing before._

_The man laughed. It resonated delicately in Ginji's ears._

"_Ryuumei," he repeated, the chuckle rising within his voice. "You shouldn't run off like that. I get worried."_

"_I was sleeping," Ginji replied. His blinked at his own voice; sounding so innocent, so childlike._

"_Oh really?" The man cocked an eyebrow, a crooked smile on his face. He gestured for Ginji to take his hand. "Well it's a good job I found you then. C'mon, on your feet. I haven't got much time."_

_Ginji took his hand, his own just fitting snugly into the man's palm. As the man pulled him to his feet he saw that the hard thing he'd felt pressed into his back had been the rough edge of a tree bark he'd been leaning against. He stood up straight and glanced around the large garden, noticing the other trees surrounding them. Ginji spotted one with a swing and felt his face lit up. Looking closely he saw children taking it in turns to climb the large branches, but the swing remained free._

"_Can I go over there?" he asked the man eagerly, his eyes pleading for permission._

_The man chuckled a second time, holding Ginji's hand securely for the fear he might run off again. "You'll have plenty of time for that."_

_Ginji's face dropped._

You'll have plenty of time for that …_ he heard the man's voice repeat again inside his head._

You'll have plenty of time for that … Plenty of time …

"_I'm going to be here a while, aren't I?" he asked the man, tilting his head to the ground and shuffling his feet across the dense grass._

_The man squeezed his fingers tightly, his face suddenly turning serious. "Yes," he said, and Ginji heard his voice constrict as he spoke. "But you'll be happy here, and they're kids your own age –"_

"_But what if I don't like it?" Ginji interrupted. His gaze focused on a bump in the grass, jutting out by the tree's roots, and he tapped it absentmindedly with the tip of his shoe, his head facing down. "Will you … come and get me?"_

_The man looked at him. For a moment he said nothing, his expression solemn, and then he knelt down to Ginji's level. When Ginji didn't look up he gently lifted his chin with his finger, urging him to meet his eyes. The man studied him, almost regretfully, as though he didn't want to leave Ginji here at all. Up close Ginji could see the worn expression he carried from a sleepless night. He smiled at Ginji, his eyes crinkling up at the corners._

"_If you don't like it," he said earnestly, "then I will come and get you."_

_Ginji felt the tears prick harshly at the corner of his eyes. He shook his head; the man's hand moved as he held Ginji's chin gently between his fingers. "I don't like it," he said quickly. "Can I go with you now?"_

_The man shook his head in reply. "No. You have to at least try it first. When I visit at Christmas you can tell me then if you don't like it."_

"_But that's forever away!"_

_The man laughed under his breath, amused. He leaned closer, his nose almost touching Ginji's. "It's only a month."_

_Ginji snorted. "It's forever."_

"_Ryuumei, you'll enjoy it here." The man stood up. His tall frame loomed over Ginji, his torso level with Ginji's head, but Ginji felt security in that height and found himself moving closer to him. "Just give it a shot. For me, okay?"_

_Ginji sighed, knowing that the case was closed; he couldn't argue against it any more. "Okay."_

"_Good." The man smiled and squeezed his hand once more. "Let's hurry, then. There's someone I want you to meet." He lead Ginji away from the garden, holding his hand delicately in his own, as though if he applied any more pressure Ginji's fingers would break._

_Ginji followed him slowly, looking back at the swing. A child was lying across it on his stomach, laughing as he swung himself back and forth. Ginji sighed. _I wanted to go on it before they did_, he thought, disappointed. It looked like fun, but he didn't want to ask the other kids if he could have a go. He was told he'd soon grow out of his shyness here, but right now Ginji felt the opposite, and he walked as close as he could to the man in front._

_The man came to a halt next to the large gates, the gates they had walked through earlier. Ginji bumped into the man's back, unawares that he had stopped._

_The man laughed. "Ryuumei, watch where you're going," he joked. He tugged Ginji's hand until Ginji was stood in front of him and placed his hands securely on Ginji's shoulders. He stepped forward, shuffling Ginji along with him, and spoke to a man stood at the gate. "Mr. Tokuma. I'd like you to meet my son, Ryuumei."_

_Ginji blinked and looked up._

_Mr. Tokuma looked back down at Ginji, meeting his gaze. He was tall, taller than the man behind Ginji, and instead of a head full of wavy hair, his was thinning drastically and almost looked white in the glaring light of the sun. His eyes were brown, but not nearly as nice as the warm ones that Ginji had first seen when he'd woken up. These were smaller, and one seemed to stay directly locked onto Ginji whilst the other moved from side to side, as though spying on the other children across the garden. His clothes were ragged and at first thought Ginji assumed he was leaning over to get a closer look at him, but after a while it appeared to be his body was permanently situated in that posture._

_Ginji looked away, knowing it was rude to stare at someone but not wanting to hold his gaze any longer. "Pleased to meet you, sir," he mumbled, remembering what the man had taught him to say._

_Mr. Tokuma let out a slow breath that sounded more like a snort. "I see. So this is our new arrival, the infamous Ryuumei I've heard so much about?" His voice was gruff, with no hint of emotion, and Ginji found himself pressing back further into the warmth of the man's coat, almost trying to disappear in it._

"_Yes." The man squeezed Ginji's shoulders reassuringly. "I trust you'll take good care of him as I've asked." There was a hint of sternness beneath the man's voice Ginji had not heard before; the words came out a fact more than a question, and Ginji felt comforted by this._

_Mr. Tokuma scratched the back of his neck, glancing at Ginji through one narrowed eye; the other continued to move in the opposite direction. "Yes. We'll take good care of him."_

_Ginji shivered. He didn't like the tone in Mr. Tokuma's voice._

_The man behind him held Ginji closer, mistaking his shiver as responsibility of the cool morning breeze. "I expect nothing less, Mr. Tokuma." Again the man spoke firmly, a hidden warning beneath his words. "As this will be Ryuumei's living accommodation for a while, I would like him to feel comfortable and at home with the other children."_

"_Oh, he will be," Mr. Tokuma drawled. He grinned at Ginji, as though to emphasis reassurance, but Ginji's eyes widened at the stiff smile._

"_Good." The man nodded as though that's what he'd expected to hear._

_Ginji blinked up at him, surprised. Couldn't he see the ominous smirk on Mr. Tokuma's face? Was he completely oblivious to it?_

_They stood together for a while, saying nothing. Ginji could feel Mr. Tokuma's stare on him and turned away, his cheek rubbing against the man's coat. He breathed in, taking in the man's smell, as though if he did so it would overwhelm Mr. Tokuma's presence and make him disappear. After a moment the man cleared his throat, and Mr. Tokuma turned to him. The man looked at him silently. Mr. Tokuma took the hint and moved away from the gate, grunting awkwardly as he did so._

"_Err, well, I'll leave you two to say goodbye." Mr. Tokuma stared at Ginji once more. His non-moving eye blinked, as though capturing Ginji within his mind, and he walked away, heading toward the other children._

_Ginji watched him go, straining his neck to look around the man's arm. He saw the other children abandon the huge tree when Mr. Tokuma approached them. The young boy on the swing jumped off and went to join them. They didn't move away, but stayed huddled in groups as Mr. Tokuma leaned against the fence and watched them with a close eye, arms folded. The children shuffled, unnerved and talking in hushed tones, rooted to the spot as Mr. Tokuma's left eye seemed to blink to each and every one of them, before glancing impatiently to Ginji and the man beside him._

_Ginji turned away. The man ran a hand through his hair wearily before smiling down at him. Ginji felt his heart tug when he realized that smile would soon leave him here and in place would be Mr. Tokuma's lopsided grin._

"_Mr. Tokuma will take good care of you," the man said, as though picking up on Ginji's thoughts. "You've nothing to worry about. They're other people here to take care of you as well."_

"_You've met them?" Ginji asked, looking up at him uneasily._

"_Only a few," the man admitted, letting his hand drop. "But they seem very nice."_

Seem very nice … Seem, _Ginji thought. To him, 'seem' was a gigantic leap from 'are'. Why didn't he say 'are'? His shoulders dropped. "Oh."_

"_It's only a month," the man said, repeating what he'd told Ginji before, although he sounded like he was convincing himself more of this. "A month will fly by. You never know you might like it and decide you want to stay."_

"_Yeah …" Ginji replied, thinking, _No way_._

_The man sighed. "I'm sorry, Ryuumei. If I could take you with me –"_

"_Then take me with you!" Ginji interrupted, grabbing the man's coat, his fingers almost turning white as he held on to it. "I won't get in the way, I promise! You won't even know I'm there –"_

"_Ryuumei." The man smiled and shook his head. "We both know you can't come with me. You're too young –"_

"_I'm 12!"_

"_Like I said; too young." The man reached out and ruffled Ginji's hair. "We've had this conversation many times before, remember? When you turn 16 then maybe I'll allow you to join me, but for now you're much safer here. I want you to stay here, Ryuumei."_

_Ginji lowered his eyes. His grip loosened on the man's coat. "But I …"_

_The man let his hand fall to Ginji's cheek, lifting his head slightly. His eyes ran over Ginji's face, as though taking in every detail so he could commit it to memory. He leaned down and pulled Ginji to him. His voice broke as he spoke. "Just 4 weeks, Ryuumei. I'll come back to see you then. You can wait until then, right?"_

_Ginji sighed. He closed his eyes, his face pressed into the collar of the man's coat, and nodded against his shoulder._

"_Yeah …"_

* * *

_It seemed like forever before he opened his eyes, and when he did Ginji could no longer feel the warmth of the man's body pressed next to him. The man had gone, along with his smile, and Ginji felt cold and alone._

_Standing in the small dark room, he looked around and saw a tiny window on his left, just big enough for him to peek outside, though he had to tiptoe to look._

_A snowy abyss stared back at him, and Ginji watched the tiny droplets fall onto the glass, losing himself in the sea of white. In the distance he could just make out the tall gates dominating the garden, covered entirely in a white cloth, the bars jutting out where the snow had slipped away. The trees were buried beneath the icy blanket, and looking at the ominous gray sky, Ginji couldn't make out if it were morning or night. He lifted a hand and pressed it to the window. The glass felt cool under his palm._

"_What are you doing?"_

_Ginji spun around, unaware he had not been alone. The young boy stared back at him from the corner of the room, his body hidden in the shadows._

"_You scared me," Ginji said. His breath came out in a tiny white cloud created by the coldness surrounding him._

"_What are you doing?" the boy repeated, his voice lowered to a whisper._

_Ginji frowned at him. "Waiting," he said, as though the boy should have realized this._

_The boy studied him carefully, his eyes glinting in the darkness. "For what?"_

_The tone in his voice scared Ginji; as though he knew something Ginji didn't and was almost sympathizing with him, the question itself turning into words of comfort that Ginji didn't want to hear. But he had heard them, and despite himself he accepted the sympathy the boy offered. A pained expression drifted across Ginji's face, and the boy said nothing else as Ginji turned back to the window, his fingers still lingering on the glass._

What am I waiting for? _Ginji thought. _Freedom_, he was tempted to say._

"_I don't know," he said after a while, finally answering the boy's question._

* * *

_The waiting turned into weeks._

_The weeks turned into months, and the months soon turned into years. Ginji only knew this by the seasons he saw; every time he opened his eyes he saw a different scene outside the window; a snowy world one minute, a blazing summer the next. Soon with every blink he began seeing more winters, more springs, more summers and more autumns, each one flickering swiftly by._

_The young boy no longer accompanied him within the dark room. Ginji had a sinking feeling inside his heart that he had been taken away, although he'd never seen it, and would never be coming back. A shivering thought told him that the boy was probably dead, and as much as he didn't want to believe it, Ginji knew he was right._

_He had no memories of the time that had passed, or what was keeping him alive in this time. He didn't remember eating or drinking, but he had grown taller, the tatters of clothing barely stretching over his skin. When the autumn leaves fell outside the window a filthy blanket would suddenly appear beside him, but as soon as the glimpse of spring returned, it was snatched away by aggressive hands, gone as though it had never been there at all._

_When he lay on the floor at night Ginji could hear the quiet sobs of the other children. His room was constantly shrouded in darkness, and he never saw outside of it, so he did not know where the children were. Every so often he would hear a ghost-like whisper and wonder whether he was hearing the living or the dead, for he had heard the spine-tingling chill of more than one child's scream as they breathed their last breath. Upon hearing this, he would sit and wonder when he would be next. It seemed their only escape was through death._

_As he lost himself in his thoughts, Ginji found his mind wandering to the man._

_The man never came._

_He never would come; Ginji had chosen long ago to accept this. He told himself there was some sort of explanation, that something had happened to the man which prevented him from coming back, but Ginji would never learn this. His waiting was long overdue, and he often cried at a life that could have been, a life he could have lived if the man had just returned and taken him home, to a _proper_ home; a safe home._

_Whenever he closed his eyes, Ginji could still picture the man clearly in his mind, his coat and long hair billowing in an invisible breeze as he smiled at Ginji, brown eyes glinting mischievously, alive with happiness and youth. In his mind Ginji would reach out to him, and the man would laugh, the sound exactly the same as when Ginji had first heard it, and he would extend a hand to Ginji for him to take. Sometimes Ginji would hear him speak, but it would be very faint when it reached his ears._

"_Ryuumei."_

_Then, just as his fingers brushed the man's hand, the man would disappear without a trace._

_Ginji would open his eyes. And he'd find himself alone, the sinking feeling of seclusion weighing on his heart once again._

* * *

The light glaring off the oddly shaped lamp started to hurt Ban's eyes. He reached over and turned it down, allowing the glow to soften, but that only made him feel more tired and he soon turned it back up, not wanting to fall asleep in case Ginji ran off again. He tolerated the glare, his brow furrowing with irritation as he endured the headache nudging away at his temples.

Looking through the gap in the door, Ban caught a glimpse of the darkness gazing back at him from outside the window in the corridor. No signs of dawn made its presence, and looking at the grandfather clock standing proudly in the corner of the room, half hidden by shadows, Ban saw it was only 3.00 am, too early for the rest of the world to wake up.

He sighed and rubbed his eyes. Ginji continued to rest seemingly peacefully, and Ban decided to wait it out until he woke up. He had a horrible feeling that if he tried to sleep, something would happen, and he was as sure as hell not running outside again.

He leaned over in the chair and tapped Ginji's forehead, something he fount himself doing every couple of minutes, as though to make sure Ginji was still breathing. He always was, and Ginji would let out a silent breath each time. Ban settled back and rested his elbow on the chair arm, pressing his cheek into his hand, watching Ginji with endowing patience.

"You plan on staying in here all night?"

Ban turned his head at the sound of Shido's voice. He glared at him coldly.

"Get out."

Shido looked at him questioningly from the doorway, noting the frosty undertone of Ban's voice. "Being a bit harsh, don't you think?"

"I said get out," Ban repeated, clenching his hand into a fist.

"I heard you the first time," Shido said calmly, making no attempt to move, ignoring Ban's threatening gesture. He stepped inside the room without a thought and closed the door behind him before leaning against it, shoving his hands inside his pockets and placing one foot over the over.

Ban continued to glare at him but said nothing.

Shido glared back, his eyes firmly locked on Ban's.

_Idiot_, Ban thought, tempted to use the Jagan on him but not wanting to waste it on the animal-loving bastard. He tore his gaze away from what was beginning to feel like a blinking contest and turned his attention back to Ginji.

Shido watched him carefully, glancing from Ban to Ginji.

The old grandfather clock ticked away as Shido remained in the room, saying nothing. Ban was sure he'd say something sooner or later so he kept quiet, never taking his eyes off Ginji, but when a slow twenty minutes passed he glanced at Shido, his patience ebbing away.

"Didn't I say get out?" he snapped, annoyed.

"That would be the third time," Shido said, looking at Ban. "But I'm not in the mood to take orders from you."

"It's not an order," Ban replied, his voice low.

"So you're threatening me now?" Shido quipped, glaring down at Ban. "It doesn't make much of a difference, does it?"

"You're testing my patience, rat lover," Ban warned.

"You haven't really _got_ patience, have you, snake for brains?"

"Get out!" Ban shouted, his voice echoing off the walls and around the small room. The chair scraped across the floor as he stood up, both hands clenched, and turned to face Shido, eyes flashing.

Shido didn't move. Instead his gaze drifted to Ginji, who was still out, completely oblivious to their presence. "Do you plan on leaving him like that?" he asked, disregarding Ban's threat entirely.

"What?"

"Ginji," Shido nodded toward him. "Are you going to leave him like that?"

"Don't be stupid," Ban growled.

Shido shrugged. "I wonder what happened for you to knock him out like you did," he pondered, moving his gaze back to Ban. "I'm sure even you were reluctant to use your precious snake bite on Ginji."

Ban's eyes flickered with anger and he threw a punch at Shido. His fist connected directly into the beast master's palm.

Shido wrapped his fingers around Ban's knuckles. He felt the impact jolt his arm and lowered it, along with Ban's fist as he continued to apply pressure into Shido's hand.

Ban glared at him with blazing eyes, mouth set in a firm line. "I told you to _get out_."

Shido smiled; oddly satisfied that he'd managed to fire Ban up even more than usual. "Not yet, snake for brains. Not until you tell me what happened."

* * *

_After what felt like an eternity, the door to the room finally opened, and Ginji saw outside for the first time._

_But the outside only scared him more, and the things he saw flickered by so fast his mind felt overwhelmed trying to take it all in: A man tugging his arm down the corridor, many doors, glimpses inside of children who watched Ginji with wide eyes as he was dragged away, some crying uncontrollably. They were a lot younger than he and Ginji felt compelled to reach out and comfort them. He could feel their fear, almost taking it in with each child he saw, and wondered if it was fear for him and not themselves. He passed many rooms and descended a dozen stairs until the man finally came to a stop._

_Everything after that became hazy. He saw darkness, what he thought was a hole in the ground, followed by more darkness; a never ending path of it staring back at him. He walked down that path, the man still behind him, not letting him stop and shoving him forward if he did, until he ended up in a room smaller and colder than the one he had been confined in for what seemed like an eternity._

_The man finally spoke. Ginji shivered at his words._

"_Nice knowing you, kid. Scream all ya want."_

_He spat the words and slammed the door._

_The room went dark._

_Ginji waited, rooted to the spot, until a small flame appeared in the corner of the room. It flickered and danced in the darkness, and Ginji saw the illuminated face of another man standing beside it._

_The man grinned. His teeth were yellow and broken._

_Ginji felt a shiver travel chillingly down his spine. He looked around the room, his eyes widening as he took in the mud-covered floor and walls, also stained in a crimson red, realization dawning through his heart like a cold-bladed knife. The door behind him was his only escape, the only escape blocked by the first man who had shoved him in here. Ginji suddenly realized why he'd been brought here._

_His time was up._

_The man chuckled, leering menacingly._

_Ginji stumbled back. He felt sick with fear._

This is it_, he thought, closing his eyes tightly as the man lifted his arm._

_Ginji braced himself and waited for the blow._

* * *

Shido entered the room quietly, glancing briefly at Emishi before he sat on the bed next to him. Emishi's eyes were shut, and Shido assumed he was asleep, just as the mouse was that slept peacefully on the nightstand, so he leaned against the headboard and let his thoughts drift back to his conversation with Ban, a conversation that was a mixed with anger and annoyance as Ban told Shido time and time again to _get out_. But he had stayed, and Ban knew that Shido wouldn't leave until he had squeezed some information out of him.

_The Lightning Emperor, huh_, Shido thought with a mixture of amusement and disbelief. It was a long time since he'd seen Ginji as the Lightning Emperor, and after hearing Ban talk, Shido couldn't blame the idiot for resorting to having to use his snake bite on Ginji.

Was it really that bad though? Were the children really getting into Ginji's mind?

Shido didn't know. He doubted it; Ginji was strong-willed and surely he wouldn't let one child, or more, get to him so easily. But Ginji was also vulnerable in his own way, and as much as Shido doubted the children manipulating Ginji's thoughts so willingly, he could believe it more than anything. After all, the burns he had left on Ban's skin were vicious and Ginji, in his full power of the Lightning Emperor, would never hurt Ban like that unless something were controlling him.

_But what was Ginji dreaming about for him to change like that?_

As he asked himself this question, Shido knew he wouldn't find out that answer until Ginji woke up. However when Ban's snake bite wore off he also knew he would not be the first to uncover that answer. In fact he suspected that Ban wouldn't want anyone entering the room downstairs until he had a talk with Ginji himself. Apparently this was not the first time Ginji had lost himself in a dream – this information Ban had kept between him and Ginji until now – but Ginji's previous dream was nowhere near as bad as this one.

"He just tried to escape over the gate," Ban had said. Snake for brains had managed to pull him back though.

_You can't watch him forever, you idiot_, Shido had wanted to say, but he didn't, knowing that Ban would throw a snide comment back in his face.

He could only hope, he considered, as he rested his arms behind his head and listened to Emishi's steady breathing, that Ban would finally take the opportunity, when Ginji woke up, to tell his partner about the history behind the children. Although Ban chose to keep it from Ginji deliberately in his own weird method to protect him, Ginji had a right to know everything just as they did.

_What will you do, snake for brains? Don't you think Ginji should learn everything?_

However, with the dreams he encountered, Shido had a hunch Ginji had learnt a lot more than Ban thought. If that was so, whose side would Ginji take? _If he takes a side at all._ Shido contemplated this; they weren't supposed to be taking sides, there was no such thing as sides in this recovery mission. So why was he even thinking about this?

"Something on your mind?"

Shido jumped, lowering his hands and banging his head on the headboard behind him as he leaned back to look at Emishi.

Emishi winced, his head peeking out from under the covers. "That looked painful."

"Yeah." Shido rubbed his head and glanced down at Emishi. His brow furrowed. "How long have you been awake?"

"Who knows?" Emishi grinned. He turned over on his stomach and supported his weight on his elbows as he spoke to Shido, keeping his gaze on the headboard in front of him. "Your thinking woke me up."

"My thinking?"

"Yep."

Shido tutted between his teeth. "That's impossible."

"Is it?" Emishi glanced up at him beneath his bed-head locks. Shido could have sworn his hair was getting longer.

"Okay then, joker." Shido shifted his weight, leaning forward and resting his arms on his knees for support. "What am I thinking?"

Emishi smiled, his eyes still lock on the headboard. "I wouldn't know that."

Shido's eyes narrowed in amusement, and he opened his mouth to speak, but Emishi cut him off, his voice suddenly serious.

"But I do know it's about Ginji." Emishi finally turned his gaze to Shido. "Am I right?"

Shido promptly closed his mouth. He said nothing.

Emishi kept his eyes locked on Shido's face. He waited a moment and then said, "Tell me."

Shido frowned at him. "Tell you what?"

Emishi chuckled, shaking his head. "What you're thinking."

* * *

_The blow never came. And behind closed eyes Ginji saw so many pictures that he stumbled back in the darkness, his stomach tightening into a sickening knot._

_The pictures were horrifying; displays of abuse he couldn't begin to understand, nor did he want to. He saw the frightened gazes of many children, heard their screams, and opened his eyes before the images could consume him. He looked around, his breathing uneasy as he released it in shaky gasps, and took in his surroundings._

_As he noted the greenness of the trees, replacing the darkness his eyes had accumulated to, the images returned. They came back strong, and his eyes widened as they played like a movie before him, the memories returning._

_He saw himself; running madly away from the shadows that followed him. He carried the child in his arms, holding the boy as close to his chest as he could for protection._

_The image faded, to be replaced by another. Ginji saw the shadows circling him, trapping him against the enclosure of the fence. He saw the boy, battered and bruised, lying on the ground. He saw his face, taking in the boy's lifeless body as a shadow held him up with no care as to whether he was alive or dead. His own face changed; the mixture of hurt and anger clearly visible in his eyes. His eyes flashed, and he started to convert into his other self. The self Ginji knew all too well._

_The image disappeared._

_Ginji gasped and clutched his head._

_Another image returned. The child had gone – where had he gone?! – and Ginji saw himself as the Lightning Emperor, glaring towards him._

_Ginji staggered backwards._

That's impossible, _he thought uneasily._

_No, his own self couldn't possibly be staring at him. He was almost staring _through _him._

_Ginji turned around._

_And his eyes met Ban's._

_Ginji's breath caught in his throat. He stepped backwards, glancing from his Lightning Emperor self to Ban. Neither was looking at him, just each other, their gazes so strong Ginji could feel the emotions coming from them in waves. The frustration, anger, hurt, sadness … he felt it all._

_His other self lifted his hand suddenly, aiming at Ban._

What are you doing?! _Ginji shouted, but nothing came out. But then he suddenly knew why; knew why he, as the Lightning, was aiming at Ban. What he was planning to do._

_What he _had done_._

_He'd already done it, Ginji realized. So where was the child now? Where was Ban? _

_This wasn't happening. It had already happened. He was seeing an illusion; a dream._

_Ginji turned to the illusion of himself. _

Stop! _He pleaded._

_He had no voice, and his dream-like self crackled with electricity, so powerful the voltage radiated a brilliant blue. Even Ban, with his agility and skill, couldn't hope to withstand that kind of power. The pain would prove too much._

_Ban never moved, his gaze unwavering as he stared at the Lightning Emperor._

No, stop! _Ginji started forward, but he knew he couldn't change what had already occurred. He suddenly wanted release; release from this nightmare._

_The electricity dispelled from the Lightning Emperor's hand, zigzagging through the air furiously as it flew past him, aiming accurately toward Ban._

STOP!!

Ginji screamed and woke up.

* * *

The ticking of the clock echoed throughout the room. Ginji sat up, his dream abruptly cut off, and stopped screaming, clutching the couch beneath him as he gathered his thoughts. He breathed in, breathed out; sweat trickling down his forehead as one by one the visions died, disappearing within the darkness of his mind. His whole body shook feverishly and his throat tightened. He felt sick.

"Ginji."

Ginji turned his head, immediately coming face to face with Ban. He swallowed and let out a shaky breath, a mixture of worry and utter relief raining down on him. Ban was okay. "Ban."

Ban watched him carefully, his expression blank. "It's about time, Ginji."

Ginji shuffled himself off the couch and stood up, his legs unsteady. Ban stood up also, his arm already out in fear that his partner would fall over, but Ginji placed a hand firmly over the back of the couch and leaned his weight against it.

"B-Ban." Ginji breathed deeply and released it, wishing his muscles would stop turning to jelly. The images came back suddenly and his fingers tightened on the couch. He closed his eyes against them. He had so many things he wanted to say, to discuss, but didn't know where to start. "My – my dream …"

Ban sighed. His head titled downwards. "I know."

"I saw … things." Ginji shook his head and opened his eyes, pushing down the feeling of nausea that welled in his throat. "Horrible things. I wasn't –." A sudden thought came to him and he stood up straight, the room spinning before his vision focused on Ban again. "Did you see him?"

Ban lifted his head, his eyes narrowing. "Who?"

"The boy. I was … carrying him." Ginji lifted his hands as though to demonstrate, the blurred image of the child in his mind becoming clearer. "I had him in my arms. Where did he –." His eyes widened and he stopped.

Ban stepped forward, his mouth set in a straight line. His hand tightened into a fist by his side. "Listen, Ginji –"

"I – I left him," Ginji blurted. "He's still in the woods!" Ginji moved away from the couch and headed toward the closed door, the feeling of worry returning. He knew he wasn't thinking straight, but he had to check; he needed to check. His hand closed around the door handle shakily. He began to pull it open just as he heard Ban's footsteps hurriedly cross the room and saw his hand whizz past his face and slam on the door, forcing it shut.

Ginji turned around. "What're you doing –?"

Ban's other hand slammed onto the door frame loudly, trapping Ginji within the enclosure of his arms.

Ginji jumped, his eyes widening in shock. "Ban!"

Ban lowered his head slightly, a bemused smile on his face. "What am I doing? What do you think you're doing, Ginji?"

"Ban please, move," Ginji insisted. "I need to see –"

"See what, Ginji?!" Ban shouted suddenly, lifting his head to meet Ginji's eyes. His own eyes sparked with anger, glowing more vibrant than Ginji had ever seen. "You need to see what? Do you even realize how much trouble you put me through tonight? And you want to go back out there and look for something that doesn't exist?! Have you completely lost it?!"

Ginji pressed his back against the door. His hand tightened on the handle as his eyes locked with Ban's. Without his glasses it was difficult not to see the emotions Ban carried, and Ginji saw the one feeling Ban couldn't conceal so well; the feeling that lingered under the anger.

For a moment neither of them said anything. Ginji studied Ban carefully and listened to his partner's steady breathing, feeling it tickle his face before speaking quietly.

"I'm sorry," he said, his voice injected with sudden pain, his eyes reflecting the guilt he felt, thinking of no other words that could help. "I'm sorry, Ban. I'm really, really sorry."

The muscles in Ban's arms tensed and relaxed slightly. He removed one hand from the doorframe and placed it on Ginji's shoulder, his fingers tightening within the fabric of Ginji's t-shirt. His hand shook more than he wanted it to; with anger or relief, he couldn't tell. He let out a weary sigh. His eyes left Ginji's as he lowered his head and muttered, "Don't apologize, damnit. I can't be angry at you if you do."

Ginji smiled a little. "Sorry," he repeated. He lifted his hand from the door handle and placed it on top of Ban's. "You can be angry at me if you want."

Ban chuckled. "Nah," he said quietly. "I can't now, you idiot. Not when you apologize like that."

Ginji squeezed Ban's hand reassuringly. "I'm okay, Ban."

Ban's fingers pressed deeper into Ginji's shoulder. No matter how much he wanted to scold Ginji for his stupidity, he couldn't bring himself to do it. "I know."

* * *

They first signs of morning light dispelled between the trees as Ban and Ginji wandered back through the woods. The fallen leaves crunched beneath their feet and the odd snap of a twig or the cry of a bird broke the silence that surrounded them. They said nothing as they walked, and Ban wondered why on earth he'd agreed to drag Ginji back to the very place they'd fought hours earlier. Looking at Ginji, he could tell he wasn't the only one thinking about their fight.

As though reading his thoughts, Ginji came out of his silence and asked, "Did I hurt you?" He stopped a meter behind Ban and looked up.

Ban came to a halt and turned to face Ginji. He remembered the searing pain he'd felt during their fight that had flowed through his skin; the pain that still burned furiously when he'd put on his shirt before they came outside. A mark had appeared on his torso where Ginji had punched him with a fist overflowing with power, and he knew Ginji had seen it the moment he'd woken up. It was just one of the things Ginji couldn't stop apologizing for.

Ban smiled. "You couldn't hurt me if you tried."

"No." Ginji kicked the soil under his shoe thoughtfully. He knew Ban was lying. "But as the Lightning Emperor I –"

"It doesn't matter," Ban said forcefully, his voice rising before he lowered it again. "Whether you're the Lightning Emperor or not, it doesn't matter." He turned and carried on walking a few steps before stopping again. His voice drifted across the silence of the woods. "Don't worry about it, Ginji. You barely touched me."

Ginji frowned at Ban's back. "You're lying."

Ban shrugged. "Maybe." He looked back over his shoulder. He paused before saying, "But I'm alive, aren't I?"

Ginji lifted his head, shocked. Despite the distance between them he could still see the clear blueness of Ban's eyes as they watched him. He knew that, even now, those eyes were reading each and every one of his thoughts; his worry and concern, his lingering sadness, his guilt, and mostly, his fear of trying to kill his best friend. He knew that beneath Ban's question lay a promise that neither of them would ever bring up again.

Ginji said nothing in reply, and Ban turned away from his stunned daze and continued on through the woods, his unanswered question still hovering silently between them.

It didn't take them long to reach the opening, and as he had already known, Ginji didn't see the boy anywhere, nor any indication that he had been there at all. He spotted footprints in the ground, ones that he could only guess belonged to him and Ban from their contact earlier, but none that would belong to a small child. What annoyed Ginji the most was that he couldn't remember where he had put the child, but he knew he'd put him down, out of harms way, even though the boy was already dead at the time.

"Something wrong, Ginji?"

Ban's voice interrupted his thoughts and he looked up. A sigh escape his throat. Ginji's breath came out in a whisper of white puffs against the crisp morning cold. "It's nothing," he answered quietly. "I knew there'd be nothing here. But I was hoping that by coming here I would remember where I'd left him."

"The boy?" Ban tapped his knuckle against the bark of a tree. "I don't know. All I know is that one minute you carried something in your arms and the next it was gone. But it didn't take long to realize it was a human."

Ginji nodded. His voice came out a low murmur as he spoke. "I know it was only a dream, but it felt real enough. I feel like I … failed him somehow. I promised to protect him."

Ban looked at him. "You can't protect someone that isn't real, Ginji. It just doesn't work that way."

Ginji lowered his head. His hands tightened by his sides. "You're right. I know you're right. But I still feel like I should grieve for him somehow. I owe him that much, even if he was just an illusion."

Ban ran a hand through his hair thoughtfully. He looked up at the clear morning sky before glancing back at Ginji, who stood with his back to him. His gaze settled on Ginji's hands, balled up into fists and shaking by his sides, the knuckles turning white beneath the skin.

Ban sighed. He placed a comforting hand on Ginji's shoulder. His stomach throbbed with a sudden burning but he ignored it. "Let's go, Ginji," he urged gently. "I think there's something I should tell you."

* * *

**Chapter Eighteen End**

**To Be Continued In Chapter Nineteen**

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Well … I don't know what to say –shot-.

I have no excuses for the lateness or my absence. I guess I abandoned the story for a while – it happens, I suppose – there's nothing I can say apart from I'm sorry. But … not sure if I like this chapter so much after rereading it, but I'm submitting it because I worked hard on it at the time and I want to finally get around the finishing this fanfiction, if not for myself but for you guys, too, who have continued to give me constant and encouraging support through and through – even through all my ups and downs. I can still thank you continuously for that – you made this story my salvation, one that I will see through to the end.

I hope you're all alive (as I am, haha) – and thank you for adding this story for your favorite / alert lists. I love you all.

Aoi


End file.
